The Rays have kept their October room intact for the American League Division Series, carrying the same 14 position players who closed the regular season and building a 12-man pitching staff for the Yankees. Drew Rasmussen has the ball for Game 1 on Saturday night in St. Petersburg, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Key takeaways
- Tampa Bay’s ALDS roster is split between 14 position players and 12 pitchers.
- Rasmussen will start the opener against New York, though the remaining rotation order has not been announced.
- All five Rays starters made the roster despite a schedule that could include as many as three off-days.
- Tyler Wells and Garrett Cleavinger are back in the bullpen after health concerns complicated the final decisions.
- Prospect Brody Hopkins, along with Manuel Rodríguez and Casey Legumina, did not make the Division Series club.
A full staff for a short series
The Division Series format allows Tampa Bay to operate with a three-man rotation if it chooses, but the club elected to keep all five starters available. Along with Rasmussen, Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax and Ian Seymour are on the roster and are expected to contribute in some capacity.
Kevin Cash has only committed publicly to Rasmussen for Game 1. The manager has not laid out the assignments beyond that, leaving the Rays flexibility to match up with the Yankees as the series develops.
The seven-man relief group includes closer Bryan Baker, with Kevin Kelly and Cam Booser handling prominent late-inning work. Wells and Cleavinger give Cash two more established options after returning to health, while Cole Sulser and Steven Matz add veteran versatility. Tampa Bay can also turn to its starters in relief, a useful option in a series with built-in rest.
The position-player group stays put
There was some consideration given to adding catcher Kenny Piper, a move that could have created another pinch-running or pinch-hitting possibility. Instead, the Rays chose roster balance and retained the same group of hitters active at the end of the regular season.
Liam Hicks and Nick Fortes will handle the catching duties. The infield group features Jonathan Aranda, Richie Palacios, Taylor Walls, Junior Caminero, Ben Williamson and Jorge Mateo. Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins, Victor Mesa Jr., Jonny DeLuca and Ryan Vilade make up the outfield contingent, while Yandy Díaz is the designated hitter.
The final 26-man roster gives Tampa Bay depth across the diamond without sacrificing pitching coverage. Now the attention shifts to Rasmussen and the Yankees, with the Rays beginning their ALDS run Saturday on TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max.
