ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Left-hander Shane McClanahan will start Game 1 of the American League Division Series for the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night, manager Kevin Cash said.
Cash on Tuesday also said rookie Shane Baz will take the mound for Game 2 on Friday night. Depending on bullpen use in the opening two games, Cash said Drew Rasmussen is the “highly likely” Game 3 starter.
Tampa Bay will face the winner of tonight’s wild-card game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.
McClanahan, who last year became the first pitcher to make his major league debut in the postseason, went 10-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 25 starts this season.
Baz, a member of the silver-medal winning U.S. Olympic team, was 2-0 with 2.03 ERA in three starts after being called up from Triple-A Durham last month.
Rasmussen, acquired from Milwaukee in May, went 4-0 and had a 2.44 ERA in 20 games, including 10 starts for Tampa Bay.