The Rays and Astros have set their starters for Thursday’s Game 5 of the ALCS. Tampa Bay will give the start to right-handed reliever John Curtiss in what should be a bullpen game, while Houston is turning to rookie right-hander Luis Garcia with their season on the line. Garcia has yet to pitch in the playoffs and pitched just 12 1/3 regular-season frames — his first career work above the Class-A Advanced level.
The 27-year-old Curtiss proved to be the latest gem unearthed by the Rays, as he gave the club 25 innings of 1.80 ERA ball with a 25-to-3 K/BB ratio during the regular season. The former Twins prospect was greeted rudely in his playoff debut earlier this month when the Yankees clobbered him for five runs in just two thirds of an inning, but he’s bounced back with a trio of scoreless outings. Curtiss didn’t pitch more than 2 2/3 innings in any appearance this season and hasn’t thrown more than 43 pitches in an outing, so it’ll be an all-hands-on-deck approach for the Rays today.
Garcia, 23, hasn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 27 and wasn’t asked to pitch more than two innings at any point after a five-inning effort back on Sept. 9. The Astros won’t be asking for bulk innings from the rookie today, as manager Dusty Baker told reporters his hope is that Garcia can navigate a potent Rays lineup once through the order (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart). It’s a stark contrast from last year’s Astros club, which rode the trio of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke to Game 7 of the World Series, but it’s also a testament to the club’s young pitching that their arms have been able to take them this far in spite of so many key injuries to veteran pitchers.
In other lineup news, Baker revealed that x-rays taken after Michael Brantley fouled a ball into his foot were negative. He’s batting second as the Astros’ DH in today’s elimination game.
Let’s go Rays.
Astros just need to take this series day to day. Win today, then win tomorrow, that’s the mentality. I thought Valdez would start today, but I guess it’s a bullpen game? I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t do a bullpen game anyways with the lack of arms in the Astros pen as is.
dont sleep on Garcia. he’s probably not getting more then 3-4, but he could havw a good game today.
Yup, he’s sneaky good & I’m surprised he doesn’t get more attention with how good he’s been, and jumping from High-A to MLB this year.
he signed at an advanced age a la former Pirates prospect Yeudy Garcia. usually guys who sign as amateur free agents after age 17 (save serie guys and guys who are holdovers from previous signing periods) are dismissed out if hand, but he’s aced every stop he’s played at.
It’s not like they’re benching a cy young candidate in order to pitch a guy who has only pitched 13 2/3 innings above a-ball. This isn’t a move of strategy it’s a move of necessity.
One team is doing a bullpen game by design, the other is doing it out of desperation.
*Astros
Amazes me to see Dusty Baker managing a bullpen game. Who would’ve thought?
Rays have chance to goto the World Series. Don’t give those cheaters any heartbeat. They needed to go with Snell. TB hoping to save Snell for Game one is a mistake.
Why would they pitch him on short rest if they don’t need to? He wasn’t sharp Game 1
Because I don’t want to give the cheaters any glimmer of hope. Finish them off now.
Lolololol! Unseal the letter!
Historically, the Rays don’t perform well (offensively) against pitchers that they’re not familiar with, especially young-guns that have little experience in the Bigs. For this writer to suggest that the Astros have had MORE injury woes, pitching or otherwise, than the Rays is ridiculous! Please! ⚾⚾⚾
Correct! McKay, Honeywell, Roe, Kittredge, Beeks & Chirinos are all out for the year, not to mention the pitcher they acquired from the Reds too. Tampa’s pitching has been devastated by injuries, yet they still have great, healthy options to choose from. Just goes to show how talented and deep this Rays pitching staff is.
So very true something the Yankees know nothing about and that’s finding and developing great pitchers. The only way Yankees get solid pitchers is to over pay them.
The Yankees have to overpay everyone, in part to pay people adequately for performing on the big stage. You expect to pay peanuts for that?
LOL pinstripe delusion.
So does Altuve officially have the yips or what? He got bailed out big time but he threw a dirt ball from about 75 feet.
the redemption arc is alive and well.