If you haven’t been paying attention to the Tampa Bay Rays for the last two seasons, you might be forgiven for not believing in them when they decided to go with a bullpen day for game four of the ALDS against the Houston Astros. While it was initially pitched as an opener game, with Diego Castillo taking the mound to start, there was no bulk innings player in line after him, making this a much more traditional bullpen outing.
You might also be forgiven if you expected the Astros to use fewer pitchers in this game, anticipating Justin Verlander — on only three days rest — would outlast many of the Rays relievers.