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).

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.

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.

Vilade’s sixth homer of the season was a solo shot off Noah Cameron in the third inning; one of two homers the Rays hit in the frame off Cameron. The former second-round selection has been an impressive reclamation product for Tampa Bay, and he’s clobbered left-handed pitching as the latest platoon bat for a team that deploys them more than anyone. Vilade also drew a walk, and it improves his slash to a very solid .278/.343/.484.

Vilade’s roster spot might have been in jeopardy earlier this season if not for the Rays’ injuries, but he’s now up to .299/.361/.477 with a rather incredible 25 RBI while starting mostly against lefties. He’s fourth on the Rays in RBI and 11th with his 123 plate appearances.

Vilade’s home run off Jeff Hoffman in the seventh inning put the Rays up 5-0. It was his second home run of the season. Vilade should still see most of his at-bats against left-handed pitching, a strategy that optimizes his skills but ultimately severely limits his fantasy value.

The home run was Vilade’s first of the season and second of his career. The 27-year-old outfielder took Eric Lauer deep in the first inning. The Rays will continue to give Vilade the majority of his playing time against left-handed pitching, which limits his fantasy viability even in AL-Only formats.

Vilade put Tampa Bay on the scoreboard with a run-scoring single against Guardians starter Parker Messick in the sixth inning before adding a go-ahead single in the eighth inning. The 27-year-old has seen action consistently against left-handed pitching and continues to take advantage of those opportunities.

Vilade parked a 99.1 mph Jose Alvarado sinker into the seats. It was his first of the spring and boosted his overall batting line to .225/.319/.350 in 45 plate appearances. Vilade is a plausible short-side platoon bat on Tampa’s Opening Day roster, but he’s likely only of fantasy interest in leagues with daily transactions.

Vilade was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals in June and played only one game for the Reds before spending the second half of the season at Triple-A. The 26-year-old is a .141/.200/.188 career hitter in 71 MLB plate appearances.