The New York Yankees are a loss away from watching their season end. The Tampa Bay Rays hold a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series after back-to-back wins at Tropicana Field. Drew Rasmussen shut them out in Game 1. Four errors helped bury them in Game 2.
The series shifts to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday for Game 3, and the Yankees need a lifeline.
The Yankees May Have a Lifeline
Max Fried will start Game 3 on six days of rest.
The left-hander is 3-1 against Tampa Bay across five starts since signing with New York.
His most recent outing for the Yankees came in the Wild Card round, when he held the Red Sox to one run across six innings in Game 2. That performance came on the same mound he will pitch on Wednesday.
Fried posted a 2.80 ERA across 112 2/3 innings during the regular season while missing time with a left elbow bone bruise. His 104 strikeouts were modest by ace standards, but strikeouts have never been the foundation of what makes him effective.
What the Matchup Looks Like on Paper
The Rays posted the lowest strikeout rate in baseball this season at 18.8 percent. They put the ball in play constantly and create pressure with speed and situational contact.
Opposing hitters barreled just 2.4 percent of the balls they put in play against Fried this season, and his groundball numbers ranked among the best in the league. Tampa Bay’s offense also performed worse against left-handed pitching throughout the regular season.
Final Word for the Yankees
The numbers suggest the matchup bodes well for Fried. That does not guarantee anything. The Yankees defense still has to hold up behind him, and the offense still has to score.
Wednesday will tell the rest.
Yankees Have Reason for Optimism Ahead of Must-Win Rays Game