Plesac in Cleveland’s bullpen for wild-card round with Rays
CLEVELAND (AP) — Guardians starter Zach Plesac will pitch out of Cleveland’s bullpen in the wild-card round against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The teams finalized their rosters two hours before Friday’s scheduled first pitch for Game 1. Game 2 is Saturday.
Plesac, who recently returned from the injured list due to a broken hand, made the 26-man roster ahead of rookie Cody Morris.
Manager Terry Francona said the decision to keep Plesac over Morris came down to experience.
“We went back and forth a ton,” Francona said Friday. “Just decided in the end a little bit more veteran, a little bit more experience, and especially in a game, or could potentially be a game where, say, it’s extra innings, having a guy that holds runners, fields his position, probably gave it the edge.”
Plesac made his first relief appearance in the majors on Oct. 4 against Kansas City.
Also, Cleveland starter Aaron Civale is not on the wild-card roster because it’s a short series. The right-hander will start Game 1 of the AL Division Series in the Guardians advance.
There were no surprises on Tampa Bay’s roster. Manager Kevin Cash stuck with the group that clinched a wild-card berth and made the postseason for the fourth straight year.
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Rays reliever Javy Guerra, who converted from shortstop to pitcher while in the minors in 2019, will be in Tampa’s bullpen. Guerra went 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 15 appearances this season.
Cash did not comment about his decisions because his news conference was held before the rosters were officially released.
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