The news

The Tampa Bay Rays are handing the ball to veteran pitcher Nick Martinez to start Game 1 of the 2026 World Series on Friday night, Oct. 23, per @MLBONFOX and @MLB. Manager Kevin Cash announced the rotation decision ahead of the Fall Classic opener, choosing to start Martinez in Game 1 rather than opening the championship round with top right-hander Drew Rasmussen, per @BNightengale and @Ken_Rosenthal. Under the schedule confirmed by Cash, Martinez will take the mound first on Friday night while Rasmussen is lined up to follow in Game 2.

Cash summed up the reasoning behind giving Martinez the series-opening assignment in straightforward terms: "When Nick pitches, we win." By slotting Martinez into the opener and holding Rasmussen for the second contest, Tampa Bay sets the top of its rotation order as the club pursues its first World Series championship. The alignment allows the Rays to open the best-of-seven series with an experienced starter on the bump while keeping their rotation on its preferred rest schedule from the outset.

Prior context

The World Series Game 1 nod caps a breakout 2026 campaign for Martinez, who earned a July selection to the American League All-Star roster. Over the second half of the schedule, the veteran pitcher credited a more aggressive pitching approach in August for powering his strong season on the mound. That sustained performance carried into the stretch run, where Martinez topped mid-September free-agent signing rankings while also earning praise as the team's clubhouse glue.

Martinez also enters the Fall Classic on a standard turnaround after handling a start earlier in the postseason. His assignment for Friday, Oct. 23 comes six days after he got the call to start Game 4 on Oct. 16, per @BNightengale. That six-day spacing places the 2026 AL All-Star directly in line to take the ball for the series opener without altering his routine.

What it means

At the core of Cash's decision is rest management for Tampa Bay's starting pitching staff entering the championship series. Rather than rushing Rasmussen back to open Game 1 on Friday night, the Rays prioritized building an extra day of recovery into their top right-hander's preparation before Game 2. Keeping both Martinez and Rasmussen on preferred rest schedules ensures that Rasmussen can take the mound for the second game of the World Series at full strength.

Opening the series with a versatile veteran carries structural benefits for the rest of the pitching staff as well. Starting Martinez in Game 1 helps preserve bullpen coverage early in the series while establishing the rotation sequence for Games 2 and 3. In addition, taking the mound in Friday's opener positions Martinez to pitch twice in the best-of-seven Fall Classic on standard rest if the matchup extends deep into the schedule.

What reporters are saying

Reaction around the league focused heavily on the workload balance behind Tampa Bay's Game 1 choice, per @MLBNetwork and @MLBONFOX. Discussing the Rays handing Martinez the ball for the opener on #MLBTonight, analysts pointed directly to the wear on Tampa Bay's staff, per @MLBNetwork: "I like the decision to go with Martinez... Rasmussen has had a heavy workload." Coverage noted how Cash explained the move as a way to give Martinez the Game 1 start while securing that extra day of rest for Rasmussen, per @MLBONFOX and @MLB.

National baseball reporters also highlighted how Martinez's recent October usage and regular-season breakout set up the assignment, per @BNightengale and @Ken_Rosenthal. Having started Game 4 on Oct. 16 before drawing the call to open the 2026 Fall Classic on Oct. 23, Martinez provides a steady opening presence for the Rays in #WorldSeries Game 1, per @BNightengale. That sequencing lets Tampa Bay roll out its rotation in order while keeping both top starters on their preferred rest schedules, per @Ken_Rosenthal.

What to watch next

Before Game 1 of the World Series gets underway on Friday night, Oct. 23, Tampa Bay still has key pre-series steps to complete. The Rays will finalize their active World Series roster ahead of the series opener as they prepare for the best-of-seven matchup. Alongside those final roster decisions, the club will formally announce its Game 2 and Game 3 starters prior to Friday's opener, with Rasmussen already scheduled to follow Martinez in Game 2.

Once the series begins on Friday night, attention will turn to how effectively Martinez sets the tone in the opener and preserves bullpen coverage for the games that follow. A strong outing in Game 1 would back up Cash's belief that the Rays win when Martinez pitches before he hands the rotation over to a rested Rasmussen for Game 2. Should the World Series extend deep into the schedule, Martinez will be positioned to return on regular rest later in the series.

Companion to our earlier report: Nick Martinez tabbed to start World Series Game 1.