Let’s get wild!
After a raucous come from behind win to start the 2019 postseason last night, the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics are set to face one another tonight in what promises to be a rowdy affair in front of 50,000 plus fans. The winner of the AL Wildcard game will advance to meet Houston on Friday in the ALDS.

Charlie Morton (16-6, 3.05 ERA) will get the start for the Rays, pitching opposite of Sean Manaea (4-0, 1.21 ERA)

Kevin Cash set the AL Wildcard roster earlier today which boasts 10 hurlers and 10 right-handed position players. The roster is below.

Pitchers (10): Nick Anderson, Diego Castillo, Oliver Drake, Tyler Glasnow, Charlie Morton, Emilio Pagan, Colin Poche, Chaz Roe, Blake Snell, Ryan Yarbrough.

Catchers (2): Travis d’Arnaud, Mike Zunino

Infielders (9): Willy Adames, Jesus Aguilar, Mike Brosseau, Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz, Matt Duffy, Brandon Lowe, Daniel Robertson, Joey Wendle

Outfielders (4): Avisail Garcia, Kevin Kiermaier, Austin Meadows, Tommy Pham

The New What Next

Morton vs. Manaea. This promises to be a marque match-up.

Charlie Morton allowed one hit and three walks across six scoreless frames while striking out nine Yankees on Wednesday. The hit — a two-out single by DJ LeMahieu in the sixth inning — was the only one given up by the Rays staff on the night. Morton ended the regular season with career-best performances across the board: a 3.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and a 4.21 K/BB over 194-2/3 innings. Over his career against Oakland, Morton is 2-1 with a 2.97 ERA in seven starts (39-1/3 innings). He is 0-1 with a 1.65 ERA in three career starts at Oakland Coliseum.

Sean Manaea gave up one run on four hits and no walks while striking out five across six innings in his last start. The left-hander was in complete control throughout, tossing 54 of 82 pitches for strikes (66% strike rate). Manaea has won each of his last four outings and carries a pristine 1.21 ERA and 0.78 WHIP across five starts into the postseason. The left-hander relies primarily on a whiffy 90 mph four-seam fastball with heavy sinking action and an 80 mph worm-killer slider with 12-6 movement, while also mixing in an 81 mph changeup that dives down out of the zone. He is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in three career starts against Tampa Bay (20 innings). Key Matchups: Travis d’Arnaud (2-2, RBI), Avisail Garcia (1-3), Guillermo Heredia (5-20, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB), Kevin Kiermaier (1-3)

You can read about the WC game in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs. Athletics — an AL Wildcard preview

Rays WC Game Starting Lineup

  1. Diaz 1B
  2. Pham DH
  3. Meadows LF
  4. d’Arnaud C
  5. Duffy 3B
  6. Garcia RF
  7. Adames SS
  8. Kiermaier CF
  9. Brosseau 2B

Noteworthiness

— Looking for somewhere to watch the ballgame? Join us at Old Northeast Tavern! You can find out more information below.

— I wrote this earlier, but it bears mentioning again.

Stu didn’t push for any team signage around St. Petersburg (unlike the Bucs (pictured above is an example of the Bucs presence around the city), nor did he or the Rays set up any official watch parties akin to Jeff Vinic’s Lightning postseason bashes outside of Amalie Arena.

Adding insult to injury, according to Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), he secured tickets for Stephen Bronfman at the game itself, in Oakland. There is no word whether he extended a similar invitation to any Pinellas or Hillsborough County officials. What a piece of work!

I get it, he’s publicly flirting with Bronfman in order to strike panic in St. Petersburg city officials. And this is the type of attention he is seeking, so I played right into the hands of the liberal version of Donald Trump. But still, now is neither the time nor the place.

I love this team and will support them, but seriously, fuck Stu Sternberg.

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