The Yankees have settled on Gerrit Cole for Game 1 of their ALDS matchup with the Rays, setting up an October 3 start in Tampa Bay against Drew Rasmussen.
New York reached this point by rolling through the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Round, and it did so even without Aaron Judge in the lineup. The offense still looked sharp, and the rotation remains one of the strongest in the league.
That depth mattered in the Wild Card series, where the Yankees used both Cam Schlittler and Max Fried. Now they can turn to another ace-level arm in Cole, the former Cy Young winner who has become the Game 1 choice for the opener. As the Yankees put it: “The Cole Train comes to Tampa for ALDS Game 1 🚂#RepBX pic.twitter.com/uTSBdY0ba3”
Cole’s season line tells the story of a pitcher who is still very much a problem, even if he is not quite the dominant force he once was. He finished with a 10-9 record, a 3.61 ERA, and 131 strikeouts across 127 innings. That kind of production is a big reason why New York can slot him in as a third option and still feel good about where the staff stands.
Tampa Bay has already seen plenty of him this year, and the results have been manageable. In Cole’s last two starts against the Rays this season, Tampa Bay scored five runs over 12 total innings against him.
For Game 1, the Rays would probably take that and run.
There is one part of the matchup that could make them uneasy, though. Cole’s career numbers against some of Tampa Bay’s top bats have not been encouraging, even in a small sample. Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero have not done much against him, and that is something Tampa Bay will have to keep in mind.
With Rasmussen set for the Rays and Cole going for the Yankees, the series opens with exactly the kind of pitching duel expected to define this matchup.
In Other News...
Rays Just Got The ALDS Jolt Yankees Fans Feared Most
Drew Rasmussen gave Tampa Bay exactly the kind of October start that can change a series in a hurry. In Game 1 of the American League Division Series, he worked a complete-game shutout against the Yankees, carrying a no-hit bid into the eighth inning and striking out 10 while walking two in a 1-0 Rays win.
Rasmussen retired 15 hitters in a row before a double finally broke up the no-hit attempt, and by then the damage was already done. The Rays now hold a 1-0 lead in the series, with one outing serving as an early reminder that New York may have to solve Tampa Bays pitching the hard way. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Just Added Another Problem For The Yankees In This Series
Drew Rasmussen gave the Rays exactly the kind of October start that changes a series, carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Austin Wells finally broke it up in Game 1 of the ALDS. Tampa Bay still walked away with a 1-0 win over the Yankees, and the result only sharpened the pressure on a New York lineup that spent most of the night chasing a pitcher who never seemed to lose command.
Giancarlo Stantons return added another layer to the Yankees situation, with the slugger coming off the bench in the ninth inning for his first game action before striking out against Bryan Baker. Aaron Boone pointed to Stantons preparation afterward and left open the possibility of more appearances in the series, which gives New York one more variable to manage as it tries to answer a Rays staff that already has the upper hand. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Fans Have One Big Concern After That Game 1 Loss
Drew Rasmussen made a lot of Yankees fans uneasy in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, and for good reason. The Rays right-hander carved through New York for eight scoreless innings, allowed only one hit and struck out 10, turning the opener into a tense, low-scoring grind at Yankee Stadium.
Austin Wells finally broke up the no-hit bid with a double in the eighth, but the inning ended with him thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple, and Tampa Bay kept its 1-0 lead intact. Jonathan Arandas solo homer was the only run the Rays needed, leaving New York staring at an early series deficit and wondering what it has to do differently before the next game. [Read more 🡒]