The Tampa Bay Rays and manager Kevin Cash are shaking things up as they look to avoid going down 3-0 in the World Series.
Left-handed bats Jonathan Aranda and Liam Hicks were out of Tampa Bay's starting lineup for Game 3 on Monday (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+) as the Milwaukee Brewers send southpaw Robert Gasser to the mound at Tropicana Field.
Righties Ryan Vilade and Nick Fortes are slotting into the starting nine in their place.
Aranda had started all 11 games of this post-season for the Rays while batting second in each contest. The 28-year-old first baseman has posted a .788 OPS throughout the playoffs and enters Monday 4-for-7 with one double and one walk in the World Series.
During the regular season, Aranda slashed .274/.358/.434 with 22 homers and 92 RBIs. He did see those numbers drop against left-handers, however, with his batting line falling to .250/.337/.341 in same-handed matchups.
Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said during a pre-game appearance on MLB Network that Aranda "is going to have a big spot off the bench at some point" in Game 3.
"It's the same stuff we've done a lot of the year, depending on who's on the mound," Neander said of leveraging the platoon advantage. "Gasser is somebody that's really difficult on lefties. You're probably going to get him; you've got a gauntlet behind him, obviously, with the way they're set up (in the bullpen).
"We thought this was the best foot forward to be as competitive as can be against Gasser, and we'll see where the game goes from there."
Gasser held left-handed hitters to a .163 average over 21 regular-season appearances, while righties hit .257 off the 27-year-old.
Hicks had started behind the plate in 10 of Tampa Bay's playoff games and entered off the bench in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Toronto native has struggled in his 38 post-season plate appearances, carrying a .631 OPS. Hicks has been able to remain productive for the Rays, though, driving in eight playoff runs, including four over the opening two games of the World Series.
Like Aranda, the 27-year-old Canuck fared worse in his at-bats against lefties during the regular season. Hicks hit .309 against righties with .883 OPS, but just .192 with a .504 OPS versus southpaws.
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