Jacob Misiorowski was named Milwaukee's Game 1 starter. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash picked Nick Martinez, a 36-year-old right-hander, to start for the Rays. According to the New York Post, the Rays started Martinez ahead of Drew Rasmussen so that Rasmussen could start Game 2 on his normal rest.

The start is the 11th of Martinez's postseason career and his third of these playoffs. Both of his earlier outings this October came in road games the Rays won. He gave up two runs over 3 2/3 innings against the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. In Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians, he allowed one earned run in 5 1/3 innings. His regular-season ERA was 2.43 on the road and 3.90 at home. The Post described him as a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter during the regular season who pitches to contact.

The Brewers changed their batting order because Martinez was pitching. Brice Turang, who usually bats second, moved down to fifth. Jake Bauers moved up to second and Christian Yelich batted third. Milwaukee's lineup was Jackson Chourio in left field, Bauers at first base, Yelich at designated hitter, William Contreras at catcher, Turang at second base, Garrett Mitchell in center field, Cooper Pratt at shortstop, Sal Frelick in right field and David Hamilton at third base.

Rasmussen, a former Brewer, is expected to start Game 2 for Tampa Bay. He has 23 strikeouts in 21 innings this postseason, with a 0.76 WHIP and a .178 opponent batting average. Freddy Peralta, the ALCS MVP, is expected to start Game 3 and has a 0.90 ERA with 39 strikeouts over his past nine starts. Milwaukee has not confirmed its rotation past Game 1, though Logan Henderson is considered the likely Game 2 starter.

Michael Leboff, whom the Post describes as a sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry, called the Brewers "perhaps the best team in baseball at putting pressure on the pitcher." He wrote that they "work counts, spray the ball to all fields, and they have plenty of pop in their offense," and said their lineup has "no black holes." Leboff called Tampa Bay's rotation choice a "savvy move" but recommended a bet on the Brewers at -1.5 runs, listed at +125 on DraftKings.

Fox carried the game, with Joe Davis and John Smoltz on the call. SiriusXM radio coverage was on channel 202 for the Rays and channel 203 for the Brewers.