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The Tampa Bay Rays leveled the ALCS at one win each on Tuesday, and the series will now move to Cleveland for the next three contests. Although the Rays entered the ALCS as the favorites, the Guardians have managed a split after two games, which is a positive outcome for Cleveland. The Guardians, who didn't have their rotation lined up after a five-game series against the Chicago White Sox, will send their ace to the mound in a crucial Game 3.
With the series tied, the ALCS is shaping up to be a competitive battle. Game 3 with a 1-1 series is always significant, and due to expected weather in Cleveland on Thursday night, the start time was moved up. After two games, here are three key takeaways.
Peralta Has Been a Great Addition
While Tuesday's game wasn't a must-win for the Rays, it was highly important. Freddy Peralta delivered a fantastic performance in the victory. The right-hander tossed six shutout innings, giving up four hits, two walks, and striking out six. Peralta's turnaround with the Rays has been impressive given his struggles with the New York Mets. This trade has paid major dividends for Tampa Bay and ranks among the best deadline deals. In a clutch situation, Peralta came through for the Rays.
Rays Offense Needs to Wake Up
Through the first two games, Tampa Bay has scored just three runs in each. While offense is at a premium in October, scoring three runs leaves little margin for error and puts pressure on the pitching staff. The Rays aren't the most prolific offense, but they have good talent and can manufacture runs. Tampa Bay must score more over the next three games in Cleveland, or they could be in serious trouble. The Guardians also don't have a strong offense, and this could end up being a low-scoring series. However, if the Rays could score just one more run per game, their chances of advancing to the World Series would improve.
Long Series Brewing
With the series tied 1-1, this feels like a more even matchup than expected. While the Rays were the far better team in the regular season, all of that success can be discarded when October arrives. Because the Guardians were able to steal Game 1 off Drew Rasmussen to start the series, the Rays no longer have home-field advantage. Tampa Bay will need to win at least one of the next three games in Cleveland to extend the series and bring it back home. With that said, the ALCS now has the feel of a six- or seven-game series after a split in the first two.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20. He can also be reached via email at [email protected].