NEW YORK -- The Rays haven’t made any decisions regarding their starting rotation for the upcoming American League Division Series, manager Kevin Cash said Thursday afternoon.
They have time, with more than a week to go before Game 1 on Oct. 3, and they have options.
Whether he makes a start or finds himself in the bullpen come October, left-hander Ian Seymour continued to make a case for himself as a potentially valuable contributor by allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings in the Rays’ 6-4 loss to the Yankees on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.
Seymour struck out three without walking a batter, Yandy Díaz picked up two hits and Junior Caminero recorded his 98th and 99th RBIs of the season, third most in the AL, but the Rays allowed five runs in the seventh and eighth innings and fell to 96-63 before hitting the road to Philadelphia for their final regular-season series of the year.
Due to the number of off-days built into the ALDS schedule, the Rays should need only three starters during that series. Their most likely options are Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez and Freddy Peralta, in some order.
Cash previously said it’s unlikely that rehabbing left-hander Shane McClanahan will be ready for the first round. But the Rays could still find roles for Seymour and Griffin Jax, both starters who began the season in Tampa Bay’s bullpen.
“It does help. I mean, we haven’t decided which way we’re going on anything right now. We’ve had very preliminary conversations,” Cash said. “Even behind an opener, coming out of the bullpen, they’ve done that before. So I’d like to think that helps them.”
Seymour has pitched well in a starting/bulk-inning role since moving out of the bullpen in early June, putting together a 3.91 ERA with 125 strikeouts and 21 walks in 101 1/3 innings over 20 appearances.
The uptick in strikeouts, and the experience he has gained pitching in a variety of roles this year, could make the left-hander an intriguing option out of the bullpen in the playoffs, if needed. It could also keep him in the mix for a starting assignment in a later series, if the Rays advance.
“I feel pretty comfortable in just about any position that they could put me in,” Seymour said. “Whatever is needed from that aspect to help the guys out, that's what I'm here for. [I] just enjoy being with the guys, and I want to see this thing continue.”
Jax, who is slated to make his final regular-season start on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, offered a similar outlook when asked about his potential postseason role last week. The right-hander has a longer track record coming out of the bullpen, of course, and he has pitched in a high-leverage role in the past.
But he has also been excellent as a starter since making that transition at the end of April. Over 22 starts, he has posted a 3.23 ERA with 105 strikeouts and 28 walks in 100 1/3 innings. And he has been especially sharp lately, allowing just one run over his last 15 innings.
“Regardless if I’m starting the game or coming in sometime in the middle or the end of the game, like I have some experience doing, I’d be glad and willing to do it,” Jax said recently. “Mindset changes a little bit coming back out of the bullpen. Swing and miss is key in October, and I know I’ve got that, so we might be looking toward that.”