AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS RAYS

October 13, 2026

Kevin Cash

Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Messick's had plenty of success against you guys in his four starts. What have you seen from him in those starts and what do you expect from him tonight?

KEVIN CASH: Yeah, the ability to mix really well. He's got very good stuff. Commands three or four different pitches -- the cutter, change-up, sinking fastball and the four-seamer at the top of the zone.

I think there's some stuff in his delivery. It's kind of fast, can alter your timing a little bit. Once he starts, he's really exploding at you within the delivery. And his pitches are just moving all over the place. Very talented pitcher.

Q. Freddy was so good for you down the stretch. What did you see from him then and then in his last start that gave you confidence in him being the guy here?

KEVIN CASH: Yeah, he's been great for us. I thought in the Yankee game, he was great again. It was kind of a byproduct of two guys got on there right in the fifth or sixth inning, whatever it was. But to navigate through the Yankee lineup with ultimately just giving up a solo home run to Ben Rice, who is as hot as any hitter in baseball, we'll take that.

This lineup, we talked about yesterday, will present different challenges because of the contact and the ability to, when they're right, they can wear you down and just put pressure on you with fouling balls off and putting a lot of balls in play.

But I think if Freddy gets that combination of the fastball and the change-up going, it will give us a good chance.

Q. We just saw your lineup. It looks like you mixed it up maybe a little bit from yesterday. How did Chandler handle not playing? And how excited are you to see him get back out there tonight?

KEVIN CASH: I'm very excited to have him back out there. Chandler handles everything about as well as you could ask from any player, whether it's a first-year player or a 10-year veteran, and the way he goes about it and understands that we're doing everything we can to put the best team to start the game and knowing that he could come off and have the biggest at-bat at any point in the game.

Excited to have him back out there today. It's a little bit different lineup. Messick is tough righty or lefty in the box. But we figured that we would get Hicks back in there, and obviously Chandler.

Q. First real adversity you guys have faced in the playoffs this year. What have you seen from the guys today? What do you expect them to respond with tonight?

KEVIN CASH: Yeah, I mean, I'm very pleased. They came in acting and appearing like it was a very normal day, excited and ready to go. I'm sure that they'll be champing at the bit for 8:00 or 8:05 start, whatever it is. But they'll come in and get their work in like they've done all season long.