Friday Playoff Action: Rangers vs. Rays Discussion Thread

by John Sickels on Sep 30, 2025 4:01 PM EDT

Here's a discussion thread for today's playoff game between the Rangers and Rays. This is a particular treat for prospect followers due to the fact that rookie Matt Moore is starting for the Rays.

Tweet Comment 36 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Read More: Matt Moore (P - TAM), Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays

Comments

Go rays Go Detroit,

Go phillies go brewers.

by Jt Malley on Sep 30, 2025 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

The AL underdogs and the NL favorits:)

by Jt Malley on Sep 30, 2025 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions

When you get Jim Hoey, Brett Jacobsen, Kevin Mulvey, Deolis Guerra, Cole Nelson, Lester Oliveros, Matt Capps, Jason Pridie, Brendan Harris, and 20,000 dollars for a half dozen key intrical parts to you're organization eveybody hurts.
And you're fan base begins to revolt. Why does Bill Smith evaluate talent? He would be much better served as the teams ball boy.

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Oct 1, 2025 3:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I call that easy heat....

by John Sickels on Sep 30, 2025 5:17 PM EDT reply actions

Indeed

all FB so far, right?

by RedHopeful on Sep 30, 2025 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah except the outpitch to andrus

by John Sickels on Sep 30, 2025 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I think it's the easiest heat I've ever seen

It’s just remarkable.

Bullpen Banter
MLB Bonus Baby
Twitter Account: @Ioffridus

by Jeff Reese on Sep 30, 2025 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions

The first pitch I saw from him:

“Oh, that’s sweet and easy …. NINETY-FIVE?!!!”

by Ryno1984 on Sep 30, 2025 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions

changeup

and he just got andrus to chase a changeup….

by John Sickels on Sep 30, 2025 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

Does everyone see why I love that pitch so much yet?

Bullpen Banter
MLB Bonus Baby
Twitter Account: @Ioffridus

by Jeff Reese on Sep 30, 2025 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Good for the confidence

get out of the first inning w/o much fanfare. Kinsler did elevate his pitch total though.

by RedHopeful on Sep 30, 2025 5:23 PM EDT reply actions

41 pitches thru 3

and at least 33% of them have been against Kinsler.

by RedHopeful on Sep 30, 2025 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions

And that's all M&M; is going to need :)

by RedHopeful on Sep 30, 2025 5:30 PM EDT reply actions

its like seeing strasburg stuff from the left side… so nasty

by Sniderlover on Sep 30, 2025 5:50 PM EDT reply actions

watch the game on your tv through the mirror... makes matt moore right handed and you can see who he throws like if he was a RHP

by matthewmafa on Sep 30, 2025 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Haha yeah I should try that sometime

by Sniderlover on Oct 1, 2025 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Interesting question

Who would people rather have? Strasburg or Moore?
I think I would pick Moore - younger, so far healthier, but it is close.

by cookiedabookie on Oct 1, 2025 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions

I was thinking about that yesterday morning

My conclusion was that it’s just about impossible to choose. I want to say Moore, but then I get stopped by the ridiculousness of Strasburg.

Bullpen Banter
MLB Bonus Baby
Twitter Account: @Ioffridus

by Jeff Reese on Oct 1, 2025 9:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Now that Strasburg is back and hardly missing a beat, I don’t think you can take Moore. Strasburg has excellent command while Moore’s is only functional at this point.

by limozeen on Oct 1, 2025 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

It's better than functional; I'd say it's above-average

It isn’t always consistent, but I think that will come in time. He’s made tremendous strides in that area already and the delivery/effort is conducive to improvement.

Bullpen Banter
MLB Bonus Baby
Twitter Account: @Ioffridus

by Jeff Reese on Oct 1, 2025 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Strasburg for me. His stuff is a little bit better and I think he has more command.

But its pretty close

by Sniderlover on Oct 1, 2025 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Moore

The deciding factor is he’s a lefty.

by RedHopeful on Oct 1, 2025 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Plus

it still concerns me Strasburg has the same delivery motion post-TJ

by RedHopeful on Oct 1, 2025 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Sheesh

Never looked it up before but 700K’s in 497IP in MM’s minor league career. I don’t know what’s more impressive, the K rate or how many innings Tampa let him pitch down there.

by RedHopeful on Sep 30, 2025 6:09 PM EDT reply actions

I've liked what I've seen of Moore so far

Or what little I’ve seen of him — every time I look up, the Rays are at the plate. :)

by Ryno1984 on Sep 30, 2025 6:19 PM EDT reply actions

as it goes for most good fastball/changeup pitchers

Moore’s outing is getting better with age.

by mrkupe on Sep 30, 2025 6:49 PM EDT reply actions

Yep, and the breaking ball works so much better when it's the third pitch

Bullpen Banter
MLB Bonus Baby
Twitter Account: @Ioffridus

by Jeff Reese on Sep 30, 2025 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

yes, breaking ball is really my only concern with him

He can spin it okay, but he really doesn’t look like he has consistent feel or command for the pitch. He used it pretty well yesterday as a change of pace, which is a credit to his pitchability. Perhaps the reason why he seemed to favor it over the change in the minors was developmental in nature?

by mrkupe on Oct 1, 2025 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

It's really perplexing

All we heard while he was coming up was how good the curve ball was, often being labeled as a plus-plus pitch. I haven’t seen that at all this year. When it’s on, it works well as a chase pitch low and in to RH batters, but I’ve never seen it plus-plus. It’s too inconsistent and doesn’t work well enough in the strike zone for that kind of label.

And it seems he only threw 5/6 change ups yesterday. Over the winter, I would make a conscious effort to try to get him to trust that pitch more.

Bullpen Banter
MLB Bonus Baby
Twitter Account: @Ioffridus

by Jeff Reese on Oct 1, 2025 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions

He did throw it for strikes against the Yanks.

Like I said down there, it was pretty dominant.

by mr. maniac on Oct 1, 2025 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

that breaking ball is a real mystery and could be the key to him being a really good pitcher and being exceptional

Kelly Shoppach said after the game that in the bullpen before the game when they were warming up Moore didn’t even know what to call it, Shoppach made the comment that this kid doesn’t even know what he is throwing and look out when he learns more about his own stuff.

I wouldn’t be shocked if over the next few years he ends up developing a slider and a curve ball instead of essentially throwing the same pitch at different speeds. If he can do that than wow just wow.

by Dbullsfan on Oct 1, 2025 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

The pitch was much better in his start versus the Yanks.

Yesterday, not so much.

by mr. maniac on Oct 1, 2025 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I'd be shocked

If maddon doesn’t start him aga
in this postseason.

by RedHopeful on Sep 30, 2025 7:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

If they advance to the next round, I'm sure he will

It gives the Rays a strong 4 man rotation, and let’s them use Niemann & Davis out of the bullpen.

Bullpen Banter
MLB Bonus Baby
Twitter Account: @Ioffridus

by Jeff Reese on Sep 30, 2025 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions

it will get totally lost in the dominance of the game but another steller outing for Brandon Gomes

this kid is going to be a stud in the bullpen for years to come.

by Dbullsfan on Oct 1, 2025 11:07 AM EDT reply actions

interesting one to watch

He pitched well when I saw him for San Antonio last year, but he was 26, repeating the league, and his stuff didn’t really stand out. He also had cringe-worthy arm action, although it looks like TB has helped him to smooth some of that out.

by mrkupe on Oct 1, 2025 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions