Tuesday’s Game 1

Best- of- seven in Arlington, Texas Who: Rays vs. Dodgers When: 5: 07 p. m. TV: 2 t 1 Preview: Rare wild- card era matchup of baseball’s best.

Record: 40- 20 Playoff entry: AL East champs Seed: No. 1. Manager: Kevin Cash ( sixth season). Projected rotation: RHP Tyler Glasnow ( 5- 1, 4.08 ERA, 91 Ks in 571⁄ IP), LHP Blake Snell ( 4- 2, 3.24, 63 Ks in 50 IP), RHP Charlie Morton ( 2- 2, 4.74, 42 Ks in 38 IP), LHP Ryan Yarbrough ( 1- 4, 3.56). Top hitters: 2B Brandon Lowe (. 269, 14 HRs, 37 RBIs, 36 runs, .916 OPS), LF Randy Arozarena (. 281, 7, 11, 1.022 OPS in 23 games), SS Willy Adames (. 259, 8, 23, .813 OPS). Top relievers: RHP Nick Anderson ( 2- 1, 0.55 ERA, 6 saves), RHP Diego Castillo ( 3- 0, 1.66, 4 saves), RHP Pete Fairbanks ( 6- 3, 2.70). Notes: Tampa Bay opened a 3- 0 lead in the ALCS against Houston, lost the next three games and then won 4- 2 in Game 7 behind Morton, Arozarena and catcher Mike Zunino to avoid joining the 2004 Yankees ( ALCS vs. Boston) as the only major league clubs to squander a 3- 0 advantage in a best- of- seven postseason series. … The Rays won the AL East this year for the first time since 2010 and third time overall. They won nine of their final 11 regular- season games, finishing 20 games over .500 and completing the best 60- game start to a season in franchise history. It also matched the best 60game stretch the club has had at any point in a season. … The thrifty and innovative Rays had a $ 29 million prorated payroll as of Aug. 1, which ranked 28th out of 30 teams. The big- budget Dodgers topped the majors at $ 96 million during this virus- shortened season, according to figures compiled by Major League Baseball.