Rays Probable Pitchers

Glasnow, who went 5-1 with a 4.08 ERA in the regular season, is 2-0 with a 4.05 ERA in three postseason starts this year. The right-hander has 20 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings, and the Rays have won each of his last 11 starts.

Greinke is searching for his first victory in a postseason game since he started 2015 NLDS Game 2 with the Dodgers. He recovered from arm soreness to grit through 4 2/3 innings of four-run ball in ALDS Game 4 against the A's.

Curtiss will take the mound as an opener as the Rays look to clinch the pennant. The right-hander had a 1.80 ERA in 17 regular-season outings (three starts). After allowing five runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Yankees in the ALDS (19.29 ERA), Curtiss has rebounded with two scoreless innings of relief against the Astros in the ALCS.

The rookie, who had not pitched above Class A prior to the season, will make his postseason debut. Garcia hasn’t pitched since throwing one-third of an inning on Sept. 27 and hasn’t thrown more than two innings since a five-inning outing Sept. 9 in his second big league game.

The 26-year-old left-hander has been strong over his first three postseason games, posting a 2.00 ERA. He's gone at least five innings in each appearance, including a relief outing in the Wild Card Series vs. Minnesota. In Game 1 of the ALCS, also his first career appearance against the Rays, Valdez gave up two runs on four hits over six innings, but Houston lost, 2-1.

Snell wasn't sharp in Game 1 against Houston, needing 105 pitches to get through five innings. But he was effective, holding the Astros to one run on six hits while walking two and striking out two. He was better in the Wild Card Series, tossing 5 2/3 scoreless innings against Toronto, but he allowed four runs in his ALDS Game 1 start against the Yankees.

McCullers struck out 11 batters in seven innings in Game 2 on Monday, and the Rays have continued to pile up strikeouts since. The righty has given up five home runs over 11 innings in this postseason, an outlier for McCullers, but he brings valuable Game 7 experience and playoff success from Houston's 2017 run.

Morton is coming off five shutout innings in a Game 2 win on Monday, and he is exactly who the Rays want on the mound. In his last Game 7 appearance, Morton recorded the final out of the Astros' World Series championship in 2017, and he'll have a stacked bullpen waiting behind him.

Glasnow starts the Rays' first World Series game since 2008. He's 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA this postseason coming off his six-inning, four-run outing against the Astros in Game 4 of the ALCS. His 25 strikeouts are fourth-most in the 2020 playoffs.

Kershaw will make the fifth World Series start of his career and sixth appearance. He is 1-2 in the Fall Classic with a 5.40 ERA in 26 2/3 innings. In his Game 4 start of the NLCS against the Braves, Kershaw allowed four runs on seven hits in five-plus frames.