NEW YORK -- It was always going to be a “tall order,” as Aaron Boone said, for the Yankees to avoid hosting an American League East clinch on the opposite side of their building. Now that the Rays are popping corks, the home team must focus on making sure they meet again next week.
Held hitless into the seventh inning by Drew Rasmussen, the Yankees fell, 6-1, in the second game of a separate-admission doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday evening, with Tampa Bay securing its fifth division title in franchise history and first since 2021.
The clubs split Tuesday’s twinbill, with Carlos Rodón firing eight sharp innings as he led the Yankees to a 2-0 win in the opener.
This confirms that the Yankees will host the American League Wild Card Series for a second consecutive year, with Game 1 scheduled for Sept. 29 -- likely against the Red Sox. The winner of that series would face Tampa Bay in the AL Division Series.
Max Fried started for New York and was charged with four runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings, though the left-hander pitched better than his line indicated.
Ryan Vilade had a run-scoring groundout in the third inning and Taylor Walls dropped a seventh-inning bunt that Fried fielded, but had no play on because first baseman Luis García Jr. also charged for the ball as Tampa Bay's second run scored.
Fried was relieved by John Schreiber, who surrendered a two-run single to Yandy Díaz, with Walls scoring from first base on a play that was ruled to stand by review. Díaz’s hit snapped a 26 at-bat hitless skid.
Rasmussen limited the Yankees to two walks over the first six frames before Heliot Ramos stroked a double to open the seventh. Rasmussen struck out 11 over 6 2/3 innings, throwing a career-high 114 pitches. George Lombard Jr. greeted Kevin Kelly with a run-scoring hit to break up the shutout.