Rays Have Nick Martinez in the Perfect Spot to Finish Off Yankees

The Tampa Bay Rays had plenty of options when they put together their starting rotation for the American League Division Series.

Through two games, it's hard to argue they made the wrong decision.

Tampa Bay will head to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night with a 2-0 series lead and an opportunity to eliminate the New York Yankees.

Drew Rasmussen started everything with one of the best outings of his career in Game 1.

Freddy Peralta followed it up with exactly what Tampa Bay needed Monday.

Now it's Nick Martinez's turn. And although some questioned Kevin Cash for making his All-Star pitcher wait until the third game of the series, it seems like it's set up the roster in a really great way. 

In fact, I think this is where the Rays decision to use Peralta in Game 2 becomes even more beneficial. Peralta was outstanding down the stretch and finished September as the American League Pitcher of the Month. He carried that into his first postseason start with Tampa Bay, allowing one earned run across 4.2 innings in the 5-2 victory.

But Martinez has been one of the Rays' most reliable pitchers all season.

He finished the year 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA, and he was even better away from Tropicana Field.

Martinez went 7-3 with a 2.38 ERA on the road while recording 55 strikeouts and only 13 walks.

We also don't have to wonder how he'll handle Yankee Stadium.

Martinez pitched there during the final week of the regular season and allowed two earned runs across six innings while striking out seven.

If the Rays get anything close to that Wednesday, they'll have a great opportunity to end this series.

And Martinez doesn't necessarily have to give them seven or eight innings.

That's another reason I like how Tampa Bay set this rotation up.

Griffin Jax hasn't pitched through the first two games of the series.

If Martinez gets into trouble early, Cash has another starting pitcher available behind him who can potentially give the Rays multiple innings.

The bullpen is also almost completely rested after Rasmussen went eight innings Saturday and Ian Seymour handled three Monday.

That's a pretty good situation to be in with the Yankees facing elimination.

Rasmussen did his job, Peralta did his, and Ian Seymour picked up some serious innings as well.

Now Martinez gets the ball with a chance to send Tampa Bay to the American League Championship Series. And he has Jax as backup as well. 

The Rays didn't simply put their three best starters in whatever order looked best on paper. Kevin Cash has set up a masterclass with his entire starting pitching rotation, and if they pick up the sweep on Wednesday, it's something that shouldn't go unnoticed the rest of the way.