Rays Still Deliberating Game 1 Starter as Rosenthal Floats Rasmussen-to-Game-2 Theory

One day before the 2026 World Series opens in Milwaukee, the Tampa Bay Rays still have not revealed who will take the mound for Game 1 — and one prominent reporter's theory has thrown the obvious choice into doubt.

Ace Drew Rasmussen seems like the natural pick. The right-hander has been outstanding this postseason, allowing just three runs over 21 innings with three quality starts, and he pitched in Game 5 of the ALCS on regular rest timing that lines him up for Friday's opener.

But The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal theorized the Rays could instead hold Rasmussen until Game 2 to afford him extra rest, with Nick Martinez drawing the Game 1 assignment and ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta lined up for Game 3 in Tampa.

According to the report, Rays officials were "deliberating over how to proceed" as recently as yesterday.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee has no such mystery. The Brewers announced Jacob Misiorowski as their Game 1 starter — the rookie flamethrower and NL Cy Young favorite who went 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA in the regular season, though he has yet to get out of the fifth inning in either of his two postseason starts.

The pitching chess match extends to the lineups. Milwaukee's roster is not due until Friday morning, with one big question whether veteran Brandon Woodruff makes the cut after his injury-hit season, and whether Pat Murphy rolls with the platoon pairings that carried the club through the playoffs.

First pitch Friday is 8 p.m. ET at American Family Field on FOX.