Jonny DeLuca Gets Nod In Center, Rays Ready To Take On Yankees In ALDS

St. Petersburg, FL – The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees will open their five game American League Division Series with first pitch scheduled for 6:38 p.m.

The Rays lineup against the Yankees Gerrit Cole:

Yandy Diaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1b), Junior Caminero (3b), Liam Hicks (C), Chandler Simpson (LF), Jose Mesa Jr. (RF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Richie Palacios (2b), Taylor Walls (SS).

The Yankees lineup against the Rays Drew Rasmussen:

Ben Rice (DH), Cody Bellinger (LF), Luis Garcia Jr. (1b), Spencer Jones (RF), George Lombard Jr. (SS), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2b), Trent Grisham (CF), Austin Wells (C), Ryan McMahon (3b)

Despite facing a right handed pitcher, Rays Manager Kevin Cash has elected to go with Jonny DeLuca in CF. over the left handed hitting Cedric Mullins. On the face of it, the decision could be considered purely going with the better bat. DeLuca hit .266/.300/.429 (OPS+101) while Mullins hit .205/.284/.344 (OPS+75).

Manager Kevin Cash did suggest that DeLuca finishing the year strong including a pair of homers in Philadelphia. He added that the skillset offered by Cedric Mullins off the bench was also a consideration. Cash mentioned Mullins ability to bunt, pinch run, and a left-handed bat off the bench as additional reasons.

Against Gerrit Cole, offense can be tough to muster, can’t blame Kevin Cash for trying to get the best bats in the lineup one through nine. We’ll have to wait and see if the Mullins off-the-bench variable comes into play. One thing about Kevin Cash is he seldom makes a move without a strong strategic reason.