The Rays are back in October with a familiar setup and a familiar opponent, opening their best-of-five American League playoff series against the Yankees on Saturday night at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay will send Drew Rasmussen to the mound in Game 1, and that choice comes with plenty of confidence. Since the All-Star break, Rasmussen has gone 9-0 with a 1.86 ERA, and he has not taken a loss in any start during that stretch. His latest outing came in New York, where he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out 11 as the Rays locked up the American League East.
That win helped cap a regular season in which Tampa Bay finished with 98 victories and the best record in the American League. The Rays also put together one of the strongest all-around resumes in baseball, with both their offense and pitching ranking among the top five in the majors. At home, they were even better, finishing 55-26 at Tropicana Field, the best mark in Major League Baseball.
This series is only the second postseason meeting between the Rays and Yankees. Tampa Bay handled New York in the 2020 playoffs, and now gets the chance to do it again.
The Yankees arrive after sweeping the Boston Red Sox in two games in the Wild Card round. New York put up 18 runs while allowing just two in that series, a sharp offensive burst paired with stingy pitching.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, has had several days to reset after clinching the division. The Rays used that time to stay sharp with workouts and scrimmages.
There are still a couple of major unknowns on the Yankees’ side. They have not announced their Game 1 starter, and Aaron Judge’s status remains up in the air.
The three-time American League MVP has not played since straining his right calf in mid-September, an injury that came seven games after he returned from more than three months out because of a fractured rib. Judge has taken live at-bats this week, but he has not worked with the full team.
On Thursday, he said he is doing everything he can to be cleared for Saturday.
Game 1 and Game 2 are set for Tropicana Field on Saturday and Monday, with Game 3 moving to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. All of the games will air on TBS, truTV, and Max.
For fans heading to St. Petersburg, gates will open three hours before first pitch, and parking at Tropicana Field will be limited to those with a prepaid postseason parking pass.
In Other News...
Rays Now Have A New ALDS Problem To Prepare For
Carlos Rodn did not take the ball in the Yankees Wild Card Series, but he is still very much in the picture for the American League Division Series matchup with the Rays. Aaron Boone has signaled that the left-hander could be lined up to start Game 3 or 4, or even be available out of the bullpen earlier if the Yankees decide they need him sooner.
For Tampa Bay, that adds another layer to an already tricky series plan, because Rodn closed the regular season with strong numbers and also turned in a notable start against the Rays. Whether he shows up as a starter or a reliever, his role now looks flexible enough to force the Rays to prepare for more than one possible version of him. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Get Key Help Back As Kevin Cash Faces Bigger ALDS Call
Chandler Simpson is back in the mix, and so are Tyler Wells and Garrett Cleavinger, giving the Rays a timely boost as the American League Division Series opener approaches. Simpson worked through right foot soreness and has been a full participant in recent scrimmages, while Wells and Cleavinger got through bullpen sessions after dealing with forearm tightness, putting all three in line to join Tampa Bay for the start of the series.
For Kevin Cash, the immediate news is encouraging, but the bigger challenge is still ahead. The manager said the group is ready, yet Tampa Bay is still sorting out its pitching plans beyond Game 1, which leaves the Rays with some important decisions to make as the series gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Now Have A New Yankees Problem Heading Into The ALDS
A dominant debut by Cam Schlittler has given the Yankees another arm to lean on just as the postseason gets tighter, and the attention around him has already spilled beyond baseball. After his 6.1 scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts in the American League Wild Card Series opener against the Red Sox, even Knicks star Josh Hart was publicly singing his praises, adding a little extra buzz to a Yankees run that now turns toward Tampa Bay.
For the Rays, Schlittler is the newest name to account for in a division-rival matchup that already carries plenty of familiarity and pressure. New York will head into the ALDS expecting him to matter in a big way, which gives Tampa Bay another wrinkle to solve as it tries to navigate a Yankees club coming off a confident postseason start. [Read more 🡒]