Facing a 2-0 deficit in the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays shook up their lineup for Game 3 at Tropicana Field, benching All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda and penciling catcher Nick Fortes into the lineup instead of Liam Hicks against Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser.
Aranda has started all 11 postseason games this year and recorded four hits in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series. He committed a pair of misplays in the field in Game 2, allowing a grounder to go between his legs that enabled a run to score and failing to reel in a pop fly that was dropping near the screen in foul ground.
He was also doubled off second base on Junior Caminero's line drive to third base to end the first inning of Game 1. Aranda is generally considered
among the Rays' "big three" bats that hit near the top of the lineup, along with slugging leadoff batter Yandy Díaz and Caminero.
Hicks started all but one of the Rays' playoff games, coming off the bench in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against Cleveland, when ace Drew Rasmussen started. Hicks hit a two-run homer in Game 2 to cap the Rays' four-run first inning.
But he got hit on the right elbow by a DL Hall pitch leading off the sixth inning. With dominant lefty reliever Aaron Ashby on the mound in the eighth, manager Kevin Cash pinch-hit Ryan Vilade in his place; Vilade struck out, but is starting Game 2 at first over Aranda.
The Brewers stole four of their five bases in the game with Fortes behind the plate after Hicks was removed, although all the steals came with reliever Kevin Kelly on the mound.
While Aranda and Hicks are both left-handed hitters facing Brewers lefty Robert Gasser, Aranda started all four playoff games in the Rays' previous matchups against lefties, including the Yankees' Max Fried, a pair of starts from Guardians rookie Parker Messick and another against Cleveland lefty Foster Griffin. Hicks started three of those games.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rays shake up lineup in World Series Game 3, benching Jonathan Aranda, Liam Hicks
