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Cleveland Indians: Ranking potential playoff opponents by desirability

By Aaron Gershon

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 24: Jordan Luplow #8 of the Cleveland Indians steals second during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on May 24, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 24: Jordan Luplow #8 of the Cleveland Indians steals second during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on May 24, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 11: Nate Lowe #35 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with Willy Adames #1 after hitting a solo homer during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field on September 11, 2020 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 11: Nate Lowe #35 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with Willy Adames #1 after hitting a solo homer during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field on September 11, 2020 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

21. . . . Tampa Bay Rays. 7. team

The worst potential postseason opponent for the Cleveland Indians would be who they’re currently slated to face off with in the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cleveland’s offense has struggled to score runs all season as entering play Saturday; they rank 27th in baseball in team batting average (.225) and 25th in runs scored (180).

That makes Tampa a nightmare matchup in a three-game playoff series for Cleveland due to the Rays starting pitching trio.

Whoever faces the Rays in the three-game wild card round will be faced with the daunting task of facing Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Charlie Morton and then a bullpen that former Indians bullpen coach and Rays manager Kevin Cash described as a “stable of guys that throw 98 (MPH).”

While the two teams will not matchup in the 2020 regular season due to the COVID-19 scheduling, previous history is not in Cleveland’s favor either as in 2019, the Rays went 6-1 against the Indians, which included a sweep at Tropicana Field.

Facing the pesky and pitching heavy Rays should be a terrifying task for any team, but asking an Indians offense that was nearly no-hit by Royals rookie Brady Singer is nearly impossible to imagine them scoring enough runs to win a three-game series.

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