Kevin Cash didn’t manage Game 1 of the ALDS like a man haunted by 2020. He managed it like a manager willing to let the game in front of him decide the next move.
That mattered in Tampa Bay’s 1-0 win over the Yankees, because Drew Rasmussen was dealing from the start and never really stopped. He held New York to one hit and two walks while striking out 10 over eight scoreless innings, firing 101 pitches in a performance that gave the Rays exactly the kind of October edge they needed.
For Rays fans, any conversation about Cash and a dominant starter in a postseason pressure cooker inevitably drifts back to the Blake Snell decision in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series. That memory still hangs around this franchise.
On Saturday, though, Cash chose a different path. Rasmussen was cruising, and Cash let him keep cruising.
The leash was long all night. Rasmussen didn’t allow his first hit until the seventh inning, and even as the pitch count climbed and the Yankees kept coming back around, Cash kept the door open for him to finish the job. It was a sharp contrast to the image so many fans still carry from October 2020.
Afterward, Rasmussen said Liam Hicks called a great game, and he also made it clear he felt Cash had his back all night. That trust finally gave way after eight innings, when Cash turned to Bryan Baker with a one-run lead in the ninth.
Baker had to navigate a dangerous spot right away against Ben Rice, one of the most dangerous hitters in the Yankees lineup. He kept leaning on his changeup, then finished Rice with a front-door changeup for the strikeout. It was a pitch he hasn’t gone to often in that situation, but this time it landed.
That sequence may be the cleanest sign of what feels different about this Rays postseason team. Cash still has the analytics.
He still has a deep staff and options, including some he had to leave off the ALDS roster. But in Game 1, he showed he can also read the moment and trust the arm on the mound.
That will matter again Monday if Freddy Peralta gets into trouble. Ian Seymour and Griffin Jax are available behind him.
For one night, though, Cash’s biggest move was simple: he let Rasmussen keep going.
In Other News...
Rays Just Sent Yankees A Clear Message With This Game 2 Move
After opening the American League Division Series with a 1-0 win over the Yankees, the Rays are sticking with a formula built around run prevention and matchup-driven lineup choices. Jonathan Arandas solo homer was enough in Game 1, and the bigger story was the kind of pitching duel Tampa Bay was able to drag Gerrit Cole into alongside Drew Rasmussen, a reminder that this series may come down to slim margins.
For Game 2, Tampa Bays lineup sent a message of its own by going with DeLuca over Mullins against Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler. It is the sort of decision that reflects how the Rays operate at this time of year, favoring current form and specific history over reputation, even with Mullins having arrived as a notable offseason addition. [Read more 🡒]
Chandler Simpson Is Giving Rays Fans A New Reason To Believe
Chandler Simpson has quickly become one of the more intriguing reasons for optimism around the Rays, and not just because of what he does at the plate. The left fielder has taken a major step forward defensively, going from a minus-9 defensive runs saved season in 2025 to an 8 this year, a jump that has helped round out a profile that already stood out for its contact skills and speed. First-base coach Corey Dickerson has been part of that growth, and the improvement has given Tampa Bay a player who is affecting games in more than one phase.
Offensively, Simpson has kept forcing opposing clubs to adjust, and Rays manager Kevin Cash has pointed to his ability to adapt as defenses and pitch plans change around him. Simpson finished second in the American League batting average race and led the league in multi-hit games and singles, production that makes him a problem even when teams think they have the right approach. For a Rays club always looking for the next edge, Simpson is becoming the kind of everyday difference-maker that can shift the tone around the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Have A Chance To Put The Yankees In Serious Trouble
The Rays return to Tropicana Field with a chance to seize full control of their AL Division Series against the Yankees in Game 2, and they do it with the kind of pitching matchup that can tilt a short series quickly. Tampa Bay plans to start Freddy Peralta, who has settled in nicely since being acquired at the trade deadline, while New York turns to Cam Schlittler, the current AL Cy Young Award front-runner. With the Rays already up 1-0, the atmosphere figures to be loud and tense from the start.
For Tampa Bay, the opportunity is obvious: protect home field, keep the pressure on a Yankees club that is already trailing, and make New York chase the series from an uncomfortable position. The crowd should be a big part of the evening at Tropicana Field, where the Rays know another sharp performance could push the Yankees into serious trouble before the matchup shifts again. [Read more 🡒]