The Yankees got a brutal break in the second inning Monday night when Spencer Jones sent a towering drive into the Tropicana Field catwalk and watched the play turn into an out.
Jones, New York’s center fielder, appeared to have put a ball in play that would drop safely, but the shot struck the catwalk and ricocheted back down before Tampa Bay right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. secured it. The Yankees immediately asked for a review from the umpires, but the out call stood on the field.
The odd ruling came in Game 2 of the ALDS with the Rays up 1-0 in the series, and it instantly pulled attention toward another strange postseason moment from the weekend. On Saturday, the Brewers and Padres dealt with a similar roof-related controversy, one that also ended with an out after the ball hit the stadium structure and stayed in play.
Ty France can relate very well to what Jones endured in Game 2 of the ALDS. The Padres star thought he hit a go-ahead home run against Milwaukee, but instead the ninth-inning sequence led to an out.
In that case, Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio tracked down the ball after it hit the roof at American Family Field and completed the catch, leaving the Padres empty-handed.
The Yankees now shift back home for Game 3 against the Rays on Wednesday, Oct. 7. From there, one AL East team will move on to face either the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS.
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 🡒]
Kevin Cash Sent Rays Fans A Very Different October Message
Kevin Cashs latest October message to Rays fans was a familiar one, even if the setting made it feel a little louder: trust your people. In Game 1 of the ALDS, Cash let Drew Rasmussen keep dealing deep into the night, and the right-hander rewarded him with eight scoreless innings, 10 strikeouts and almost nothing to work with for the Yankees.
It was the kind of postseason decision that can define a series before it really starts, especially for a Rays team that has long been built around pitching judgment and nerve. After Rasmussen finished his job, Bryan Baker was asked to finish it off, and he did just that by striking out a key Yankees hitter to seal the 1-0 win and give Tampa Bay an early edge. [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 🡒]