The first-ever MLB playoff wildcard weekend will kick off on Friday with four games. Each series will take place entirely in the home park of the higher seed. On Friday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Rays will take on the AL Central division champion Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland. The Rays are the sixth seed in the AL playoffs after finishing 3rd in the AL East with an 86-76 record. The Guardians were the surprise winners of the AL Central Division this season and finished with a 92-70 record. The pitching matchup on Friday afternoon will be lefty Shane McClanahan (12-8, 2.54) of the Rays taking on the Guardians ace Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88). First pitch is scheduled for 12:o7pm EST.
The big question entering the playoffs for the Tampa Bay Rays will be, can they Rays flip the switch and play quality baseball again? The Rays have played under .500 baseball over the last thirty games and are limping into the playoffs. In the team's last thirty games, the Rays are just 12-18, 8-12 over the last 20 games and 4-6 over their last ten games. The Rays are hitting just .229 over their last 30 games and scoring just 3.5 runs per game in that span. For the season, Tampa Bay is just 21st in baseball in runs per game and 17th in batting average. The Rays roster has suffered through some key injuries throughout the season but will have the availability of a couple of key players entering the playoffs. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow returned at the end of September, fresh off of Tommy John surgery that sidelined him from the end of the 2021 season until now. He hit 99 on the gun in his one appearance and could prove to be an x-factor for the Rays in this series. Third baseman Yandy Diaz also appears ready to go despite missing most of the final ten games. Tampa Bay's offense will rely on playoff veterans Randy Arozarena, Manuel Margot and electric shortstop Wander Franco.
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Tampa Bay will turn to their ace, Shane McClanahan, in game one of the wildcard round. The left-hander finished the season with a team-leading 12 wins and 18 quality starts. He had an average of 10.4 K/9 for the seasons and led the team with an ERA of 2.54. McClanahan finished the season by going 1-3 in his final five starts with an ERA of 3.96. The left-hander has faced Cleveland once this season and lasts 4.1 innings while allowing 7 hits in the loss. On the road this season, McClanahan is 6-6 with an ERA of 2.71. Behind McClanahan, he will have a bullpen with the 7th best ERA in baseball. The Rays will rely on the power arms of Pete Fairbanks and Jason Adam at the end of games.