The ‘easiest’ World Series decision cost Rays everything

· New York Post

The Rays fell short of winning a World Series, and manager Kevin Cash faced plenty of questions afterwards.

Cash made a few questionable World Series calls involving ace Drew Rasmussen, who on three days of rest was yanked after four strong innings on Wednesday night, allowing a run on four hits and throwing 48 pitches in an eventual 4-1 series-deciding loss in Game 5.

“We had gone into the game saying it was 60 pitches or four innings. Stuck to that. That was the easiest call in the world to take him out of the ball game,” Cash said postgame.

Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Getty Images

The decision instantly backfired, as he went to reliever Kevin Kelly for the fifth inning with the hope that he could make quick work of the bottom of Milwaukee’s lineup, though the Brewers got three consecutive hits to extend their lead to 2-0.

In the sixth inning, Garrett Cleavinger coughed up two more runs to balloon the deficit to 4-0 as things had completely unraveled for the Rays. 

Cash arguably should have gone with Rasmussen in the first game of the series, but instead pushed him back a day in favor of Nick Martinez despite Rasmussen being on normal rest for Game 1. 

“We prioritized Drew getting an extra day. He’s had a pretty thick workload here,” Cash said before the series, defending his Game 1 decision. “We’ve relied on him heavily. We know when he takes the ball, we’re trying to get the full pitch allotment out of him.”

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash speaks in a press conference before game five of the 2026 World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But in Game 5, just days after these comments, he was forced to send Rasmussen out without getting the full pitch allotment. 

Pushing Rasmussen back a day put him on short rest for Game 5 when he would have had normal rest if the wheels hadn’t been set in motion in Game 1. 

Rasmussen was the team’s best pitcher all year, and Tampa Bay was steadfast in protecting his arm, given he’s had two Tommy John surgeries and an internal brace put in his right arm in 2023. 

The Rays offense also deserves plenty of blame, scoring one run with their season on the line — and putting just six total up in the final 38 innings of the series.