The Phillies got a milestone night from Zack Wheeler, Carlos Rodón reached a career marker of his own, and the Rays finally put the AL East away in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader.
Wheeler came into his start with 1,997 strikeouts and wasted no time getting to 2,000. He struck out the side in the first inning, then kept rolling with another three strikeouts in the second and the first batter of the third.
By the time he was done, Wheeler had piled up 11 strikeouts in the outing. The veteran had gone through a rough patch in August, but he’s settled back in over his last five starts, allowing six earned runs in that stretch.
In September, he’s struck out 34 batters and walked six.
Rodón was nearly as sharp in Game 1 against Tampa Bay. The Yankees left-hander worked eight innings, struck out eight, and allowed only three baserunners while matching his longest outing as a Yankee.
The win was the 100th of his career. After a slow buildup in workload, Rodón has been dominant since coming off the IL, posting a sub-2.00 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning over seven appearances.
Tampa Bay still had the last word in the nightcap. The Rays clinched the AL East behind a strong start from Drew Rasmussen, who took a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
Rasmussen finished with 11 strikeouts, marking his third double-digit strikeout game of the season. He’s been rolling in September, too, with a 1.05 ERA across four outings.
He’ll likely be the Rays’ Game 1 starter in the ALDS.
In Other News...
Rays Clinched The AL East In The Best Possible Place
For one night at Yankee Stadium, the Rays turned a division race into a coronation. Tampa Bay beat the Yankees 6-1 to lock up the American League East, with Drew Rasmussen delivering one of the sharpest outings of the season, working 6 2/3 innings and striking out 11 while carrying a no-hitter into the seventh. Yandy Daz added the timely power with four RBIs, and the kind of complete performance that has defined this team all year ended with a celebration in the visitors' clubhouse.
The setting only made it sweeter for Tampa Bay, which has spent so much of the season chasing control of the division and finally finished the job in the most hostile of places. The Rays walked out of the Bronx with a title in hand and a loud reminder that their formula still travels, even when the stakes are as high as they can get. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Outfield Picture Just Got More Complicated At The Worst Time
The Rays outfield has been messy for a while, and the latest development only adds to the uncertainty as the season reaches its most sensitive stretch. Jake Fraley, who had already been designated for assignment, was released after declining a minor league assignment, ending his brief run with Tampa Bay and sending him straight into free agency ahead of schedule.
Fraley was always a somewhat awkward fit at this point in the year, given the injury interruptions that cost him significant time and the offensive struggles that followed. With more than five years of service time and impending free agency already looming, he chose not to stick around for a postseason return option with the Rays, leaving the club to keep sorting out an outfield mix that has not gotten any simpler. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Let A Crucial Bronx Opportunity Slip Away Quietly
In the first game of Tuesdays doubleheader in the Bronx, the Rays got the kind of outing they usually need to cash in on a road opportunity. Nick Martinez gave them six innings and allowed just two runs, which was enough to keep Tampa Bay within reach for most of the afternoon, even with Carlos Rodon working deep into the game for the Yankees.
Cody Bellingers home run gave New York the first punch, and the Yankees never really gave the Rays a foothold from there. Tampa Bay was shut out, and a chance to make some noise in a meaningful spot slipped away quietly, leaving the rest of the day to carry a little more weight. [Read more 🡒]