Drew Rasmussen didn't hold back the emotions he felt after putting together a historic night in the Tampa Bay Rays' 1-0 win over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS series on Saturday night.

Rasmussen has been playing in the majors since 2020, his sixth with the Rays. He shines as one of their star pitchers, helping them make a case for making a deep playoff run as a World Series contender.

Tampa Bay stood out as one of the best performing teams in the league, securing the top seed in the AL bracket. They got a bye past the Wild Card, seeing them face the Yankees after New York eliminated Boston in that stage.

Rasmussen set the tone for the ALDS opener with his incredible performance on the mound. He lasted for eight innings, striking out 10 batters while conceding just one hit. He reflected on his performance after the game, showing his level of resilience amid all the adversity he's been through.

“In all honesty, my heartbeat was about 1,000 beats per minute. So I just let Liam call the game and did my best to try and execute the pitches he called,” Rasmussen said.

“It takes an army. We got a great staff here. I've got some people in my life privately that really help me out day in and day out. And like I said, it takes an army to keep me on the field.”

Drew Rasmussen talks to @LaurenShehadi about his spectacular performance in Game 1 of the ALDS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WVofNf6ZPW

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) October 4, 2026

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How Drew Rasmussen, Rays played against Yankees

Drew Rasmussen delivered the most crucial performance among the Rays players. His efforts actually helped pave the way for Tampa Bay to start the series against the Yankees with a win.

The game was scoreless throughout the first two innings until Tampa Bay got its long run in the third frame. Jonathan Aranda was responsible for the game-winning homer, launching it to right-center field.

The Rays will look forward to Game 2 of the ALDS series against the Yankees. That game commences on Oct. 5 as first pitch starts at 8 p.m. ET.