The Cleveland Guardians will send a standout rookie to the mound for Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.
Parker Messick will start Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, the Guardians announced on Monday.
Messick, 25, had a remarkable rookie season pitching to a 2.56 ERA with 193 strikeouts and 49 walks over 186.1 innings, accumulating 6.3 bWAR.
Over two playoff starts this October, Messick has allowed four earned runs while striking out 11 and walking six. He went 4.1 innings in the Guardians' Game 1 loss to the Chicago White Sox in their Division Series and lasted just 2.1 innings in their Game 4 win.
Messick will be pitching on standard rest after last taking the mound on Thursday.
He is matched up with Rays starter Freddy Peralta, who was also announced as a Game 2 starter earlier on Monday.
Peralta, 30, had a resurgent final stretch of the season after joining Tampa Bay at the trade deadline and tossed 4.1 innings of one-run ball in a Game 2 ALDS win over the New York Yankees.
Foster Griffin and Drew Rasmussen will start Game 1 for the Guardians and Rays, respectively, on Monday night. Catch the game on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
0:50