Griffin Jax Gets the Nod Against a Brewers Buzzsaw

Bob Nightengale just dropped the news that Griffin Jax is officially taking the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow.

The Rays are currently in the middle of a nightmare series against the Milwaukee Brewers, having dropped three straight games including a 10-1 beatdown yesterday.

"Local pregame shows have hyped Jax as a Cy Young candidate."

Throwing Jax into this matchup feels like volunteering to test a shark cage made of zip ties. The Brewers are sitting on a terrifying 103-59 record, and they have spent the last three days treating Tampa Bay's pitching staff like a malfunctioning batting practice machine.

Sure, the local pregame broadcasts have been hyping Jax up like a stealth Cy Young candidate. But let's do some quick math: he spent a chunk of August on the injured list with right elbow discomfort, and now he has to face a lineup that just outscored his team 18-7 over the last 72 hours.

For anyone eyeing the prop markets, blindly trusting a pitcher with recent elbow issues against a 103-win buzzsaw is a conversation you need to have with your own bank account.

Tomorrow is a massive gut-check for a 98-win Rays team that suddenly looks completely outclassed. If Jax can actually cool off Milwaukee, Tampa Bay might salvage some dignity. If not, it is going to be another very long night at the ballpark.