The Rays were decisively defeated in five games as the Brewers clinched their first World Series title, and Taylor Walls was not interested in discussing any perceived hierarchies.
After a hard-fought win in extra innings during Game 4, which allowed them to avoid a sweep, Walls was approached by Ken Rosenthal from The Athletic. Rosenthal asked, “Was it important to win one just to show you’re on this level?”
Walls seemed taken aback by how that question was framed.
“No,” he replied promptly following the 12-inning 4-3 triumph on Tuesday. “I think that’s pretty disrespectful, honestly. We’re a team that’s capable of winning four.”
Rosenthal quickly responded, apologizing for his wording in the locker room.
“No team wants to get swept, but at the end of the day, we think we can win the whole thing,” Walls emphasized. “So whether it starts with us down 0-3 and winning four in a row, or whether it started winning the first one or the second one, we have full confidence that we can do it.”
Sadly for the Rays, they failed to achieve the improbable comeback from a 3-0 deficit—a feat famously accomplished by the 2004 Red Sox against the Yankees in the ALCS.
Throughout the series, Tampa Bay struggled significantly to score, managing just 11 runs over the five games, as their offense fell flat with mostly weak hits.
Interestingly, Walls, who is primarily known for his defensive skills rather than his hitting prowess, posted a dismal .103 batting average in the postseason, recording only four hits in 39 at-bats.
One notable decision made by Rays manager Kevin Cash was choosing to rest ace Drew Rasmussen for Game 1 and instead bring him in for Game 2.
Consequently, Rasmussen was forced to pitch on short rest in a crucial Game 5, ultimately lasting just four innings.
Despite the disappointing outcome, the Rays had a commendable season overall, even if Walls was reluctant to entertain the idea of being the underdog in discussions, considering they reached the World Series after initially being viewed as a weaker team in the AL East.
