The Tampa Bay Rays are rolling out veteran right-hander Nick Martinez for Game 1 of the 2026 World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Yeah, you read that right. Rays manager Kevin Cash dropped the bomb Thursday: Martinez, not their ace Drew Rasmussen, is taking the mound Friday night in Milwaukee. It’s a move nobody really saw coming.
Martinez: The Veteran Who Just Keeps Winning
Don’t sleep on Nick Martinez, though. This 36-year-old right-hander just had a seriously strong regular season for the American League champs. We’re talking a 3.1 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 180 innings pitched with only 26 walks against 109 strikeouts. That kind of effort, good for a 3.9 WAR, earned him his first career All-Star selection. Cash himself said it best: “When Nick pitches, we win.” Martinez isn’t shying away from the moment either, telling reporters, “It’s exciting. I think as a team, as a staff, we’re confident in whoever we call up for the mound. It fell on me, and my job is just to rack up as many outs as we can and keep us in this ballgame.” He’s already proven he can handle the postseason pressure, starting ALDS Game 3 against the New York Yankees and ALCS Game 4 against the Cleveland Guardians. Across those two starts, he posted a 3.00 ERA with six strikeouts and three walks in nine combined innings. The dude is ready to pitch.
The Rays’ High-Stakes Chess Match
So why Martinez over Rasmussen, especially when Rasmussen was available on full rest? This is where Kevin Cash gets strategic. The decision actually gives Rasmussen an extra day of rest, which has to be welcome given his career-high workload this season. Rasmussen is now likely to go in Game 2. And check this out: ALCS MVP and deadline acquisition Freddy Peralta will start Game 3 back at Tropicana Field. That’s a huge deal for Peralta, who spent his entire career in Milwaukee before this season. Imagine the homecoming narrative if he pitched Game 3 *in* Milwaukee! Cash is prioritizing the long game here, making sure all his top arms are fresh. He explained, “We prioritized Drew getting an extra day. He’s had a pretty thick workload here and we’ve relied on him heavily.” He also noted Peralta’s “unique” workload in the ALCS, coming out of the bullpen between starts, admitting, “I did think that towards the end of that game, the velocities and stuff remained the same, but the command took a little bit of a dip.” It’s clear Cash is trying to maximize their impact. If the series goes long, Martinez would be lined up for a potential Game 5, meaning each of those three starters gets two full-rest turns against the Brewers. This isn’t just a decision for Game 1, it’s a plan for the entire damn series.
Game 1 of the World Series kicks off Friday night in Milwaukee, with Nick Martinez facing off against Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski. This is it, folks. Kevin Cash has made his move, and we’re about to see if his big bet on Martinez pays off right out of the gate.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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