Jax (back) allowed a run on one hit and one walk over two innings during Game 3 of the ALCS against the Yankees on Wednesday.
The right-hander exited his final outing of the regular season due to a lower-back contusion after being struck by a 104-mph comebacker, but he had a week and a half to rest up before entering Wednesday's series clincher. Jax, who posted a 3.14 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 106:28 K:BB in 23 starts during the regular season, and Ian Seymour should be the candidates to start Game 4 of the ALCS for Tampa Bay.
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Rays' Nick Martinez: Lasts 3.2 frames in Game 3
Rotowire
Martinez didn't factor into the decision in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk across 3.2 innings.
The right-hander started off with two scoreless frames before New York got to him for single tallies in the third and fourth innings to end his evening. Martinez worked exclusively as a starter in MLB for the first time in his career this year, and he responded by delivering a 3.10 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 109:26 K:BB over 180 regular-season innings. The Rays will presumably line him up to start Game 3 of the ALCS.
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Rays' Bryan Baker: Closes out Yankees
Rotowire
Baker gave up no hits and one walk in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday.
Tampa Bay may have swept New York, but the series was hardly a breeze as Baker was needed for the save in all three games. The right-hander issued a one-out walk Wednesday -- the first baserunner he allowed in the series -- but retired the next two batters to close out the ALDS. Including the playoffs, Baker has converted 33 consecutive save chances and is unscored upon in his past 10 appearances.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Blasts decisive homer
Rotowire
Mesa went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old went 1-for-6 with a walk and a stolen base in the first two games of the series, but he found his power stroke Wednesday with a sixth-inning homer that broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the difference in the outcome. Mesa is coming off a productive rookie campaign that saw him post an .825 OPS with 14 homers, nine steals, 34 RBI and 37 runs in 79 regular-season games.
Rays' Chandler Simpson: Not starting against Fried
Rotowire
Simpson is out of the lineup Wednesday for ALDS Game 3 versus the Rays.
The left-handed-hitting Simpson was predominately an everyday player for the Rays this season, but he'll begin this one on the bench as the Yankees send southpaw to Fried to the bump. Ryan Vilade is getting a start in the outfield in place of Simpson, who is 1-for-8 at the plate in the first two games of the series.
Baker earned the save by retiring all three batters he faced during the ninth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Monday. He did not record a strikeout.
The right-hander finished up a 1-0 shutout in the series opener Saturday and needed just nine pitches to retire the side Monday to give the Rays a 2-0 series lead. Baker entered the playoffs having converted 30 consecutive save opportunities, and he's added two more to his ledger in Tampa Bay's first two games of the postseason.
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Rays' Freddy Peralta: Limits Yanks to one run
Rotowire
Peralta didn't factor in the decision in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Monday, giving up a run on three hits with three strikeouts and one walk across 4.2 innings.
Peralta served up a solo homer to Ben Rice during the fourth inning but was otherwise able to keep New York off the board. It continued a strong run of form for the right-hander, who has now surrendered one or no runs in each of his past seven starts dating back to late August. Peralta has a 0.93 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 30:10 K:BB over 38.2 innings during that span.
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