Rays Need Three Things to Go Right to Take ALCS Lead Against Guardians

The Tampa Bay Rays evened the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night, picking up a much-needed 3-1 victory at Tropicana Field.

Now Tampa Bay will hit the road for Game 3, with an opportunity to take its first lead of the series.

However, things aren't going to be easy against Cleveland starter Gavin Williams, who has been outstanding throughout the postseason.

Here are the three biggest things I'm looking for from the Rays on Thursday.

One of the biggest concerns I've had throughout the postseason has been Tampa Bay's inability to consistently generate offense.

The Rays have yet to score more than four runs in a playoff game, and some of their biggest offensive contributors haven't been getting the job done.

Yandy Díaz went 0-for-4 in Game 2, while Jonathan Aranda finished 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch.

That's something Tampa Bay needs to change.

Especially against Williams, who struck out nine Rays across 7.2 innings earlier this season without allowing an earned run.

The bottom of the lineup stepped up Tuesday, but Tampa Bay needs more from its best hitters.

And I think Díaz is somebody who could make a difference, considering he's hitting .467 in 16 plate appearances against Williams.

Griffin Jax will get the start for Tampa Bay in Game 3, and I'm interested to see how he handles the opportunity.

Jax has been one of the more interesting pitching stories for the Rays after transitioning from a reliever into a starter.

And while he's dealt with injuries throughout the season, he's shown he can be effective in that role.

However, starting an ALCS game on the road is a completely different challenge.

Cleveland has consistently made opposing pitchers work throughout this series, and Jax will need to avoid allowing the Guardians to get comfortable offensively.

I'm not necessarily expecting six or seven innings.

But if Jax can give Tampa Bay four or five strong innings, I think the Rays will be in a good position.

We've already seen how important Tampa Bay's bullpen can be in this series.

In Game 1, questionable decisions and poor performances allowed Cleveland to take control late.

However, things looked much better Tuesday.

Ian Seymour delivered some important outs, while Brian Baker finished the victory.

Now the Rays need that consistency to continue.

With three consecutive games scheduled in Cleveland, Kevin Cash will likely need contributions from more than just his most dependable relievers.

And that's where things could get interesting.

If Jax gives Tampa Bay four or five innings, the bullpen will be responsible for finishing a significant portion of the game.

Against a Cleveland lineup that consistently puts the baseball in play, that's not necessarily an easy assignment.

But if Tampa Bay can get production from the top of its lineup, a solid outing from Jax, and another dependable bullpen performance, I think the Rays have a legitimate opportunity to take Game 3 and regain control of the series.