The Rays finished the regular season with MLB's lowest strikeout rate at 18.8%. Jacob Misiorowski struck out 3 Tampa Bay hitters over 5 innings in Game 1.
I favor Rays ML against the Brewers for that contact and Tampa Bay's defense. Opponents hit .379 on hard-hit nonhomers against the Rays during the regular season.
That was the lowest mark among 330 team-seasons since 2015. It gives Tampa Bay a specific answer to Milwaukee's seventh-ranked hard-hit rate.
Steven Matz, Garrett Cleavinger and Cole Sulser did not pitch in Game 4, leaving Kevin Cash three relief options without that 12-inning workload.