Ryan

Vilade

With left-hander Parker Messick on the mound for the Guardians in Game 5, the Rays will change things up with Vilade starting in right field and batting third while Williamson takes over at second base and will bat eighth. Here’s the full lineup that Rays’ skipper Kevin Cash will deploy as the Rays look to take control of the ALCS on Sunday: Yandy Díaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Ryan Vilade (RF), Junior Caminero (3B), Chandler Simpson (LF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Liam Hicks (C), Ben Williamson (2B) and Taylor Walls (SS).

Vilade posted an .818 OPS against southpaws during the regular season and will get a chance to face Guardians starter Foster Griffin at Tropicana Field to kick off the best-of-seven showdown. The 27-year-old lefty-masher blasted a solo homer off Yankees ace Max Fried during Tampa Bay’s series-clinching victory last week. Here’s the full lineup: Yandy Díaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Junior Caminero (3B), Vilade (LF), Victor Mesa Jr. (RF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Ben Williamson (2B), Taylor Walls (SS) and Nick Fortes (C).

The Rays haven’t said anything about Aranda, but something must be up for him to be sitting out for the third time in five games and this time against a righty. But we’re guessing that whatever it is, he’d be playing through it if the Rays hadn’t clinched the AL East. They have Ryan Vilade starting at first base for a third straight game tonight.

While Aranda does stay in the lineup against most left-handers, he’ll get a breather in this one with Patrick Sandoval toeing the slab for the Red Sox. Expect him to make an appearance off the bench in a key late game spot if the right situation arises. Ryan Vilade will start in his place at first base and will bat second for the Rays on Sunday afternoon in Tampa Bay.

Mesa’s setback last night will shelve him for at least 10 days. Ryan Vilade and Jonny DeLuca will get extra starts against righties while Mesa is out.

Vilade opened the scoring in the ballgame with a 441-foot (106.9-mph EV) solo shot in the fourth inning. He also doubled and scored the Rays’ only other run on an RBI single by Jorge Mateo in the sixth. With his three-hit attack, Vilade is now slashing .256/.318/.478 with 10 homers and 36 RBI on the season.

Ryan Vilade gets an opportunity to face lefty Noah Schultz once opener Jordan Hicks departs. Aranda has been struggling recently, hitting .182 (10-for-55) with one extra-base hit in 14 games since the All-Star break. It’ll be a different-looking Tampa Bay lineup in this one with speedster Chandler Simpson hitting second behind Yandy Díaz.

It’s nothing more than a routine day of rest for the 28-year-old slugger with tough left-hander Parker Messick toeing the slab for the Guardians. Ryan Vilade will cover first base in his absence and will bat second for the Rays on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field.

Vilade entered the game as a pinch-hitter with two runners on and two outs in the seventh inning to face left-handed Gabe Speier. He came through for the Rays with a three-run blast to extend the lead with his seventh homer of the season. The 27-year-old has been limited to playing time against left-handed pitching, slashing .261/.323/.471 with 31 RBI across 156 plate appearances.

Díaz will take a break against tough right-hander Hunter Brown for Saturday’s game. Ryan Vilade will get the start at first base and hit cleanup in Díaz’s absence