Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York This is a pivotal AL East series. The Rays hold a six-game lead with seven games left and can clinch the division (and top AL seed) with one win. The Yankees need a sweep of the four-game set to keep slim division hopes alive and are fighting for the top wild-card spot. Separate-admission day-night doubleheader.
Game 1
First pitch: 1:05 p.m. ET
TV: YES / Rays.TV / MLB.TV Starting Pitchers
Tampa Bay RHP Nick Martinez (15-4, 2.94 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 171.1 IP, 101 K, 24 BB)
Extremely reliable workhorse and clubhouse leader. Rays are 22-7 in his starts. Excellent command and ground-ball tendencies. Strong recent form.
New York LHP Carlos Rodón (6-3, 2.95 ERA, 1.13 WHIP in limited action)
Has pitched well since returning from injury (strong August/September stretch). High-strikeout lefty who can dominate when healthy. Career numbers vs. Rays are solid.
Game 2
First pitch: 7:05 p.m. ET
TV: TBS / YES / Rays.TV / MLB.TV Starting Pitchers
Tampa Bay RHP Drew Rasmussen (15-5, 2.72 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 165.1 IP, 163 K, 29 BB)
One of the AL’s top arms. Elite strikeout-to-walk ratio and career dominance vs. Yankees (4-2, 1.87 ERA in 10 appearances). Recent starts have been excellent.
New York LHP Max Fried (5-4, 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 106.0 IP, 100 K)
Coming off a strong seven-inning outing. High-quality lefty with excellent control. Limited innings due to earlier injury but peaking at the right time.
Venue & Weather Forecast
Yankee Stadium (outdoor, hitter-friendly dimensions especially to right field).
Forecast: Mostly cloudy to overcast with a chance of light rain/showers (especially earlier in the day; 20-50% chance depending on source). Highs in the mid-60s°F, lows in the mid-to-upper 50s. Northeast winds 10-14 mph with higher gusts. Cool, potentially damp conditions that could favor pitchers if rain stays light. Roof N/A.
Injury Reports
Rays
SP Shane McClanahan: 15-day IL (forearm – out for regular season; postseason possibility).
RP Garrett Cleavinger / Tyler Wells / Manuel Rodríguez: 15-day IL (forearm/back).
OF Gavin Lux: 60-day IL (shoulder).
Other depth pieces (Edwin Uceta, Jonathan Heasley) on longer IL.
Core lineup (Yandy Díaz, Junior Caminero, Chandler Simpson, etc.) largely healthy; Ben Williamson and Taylor Walls recently activated.
Yankees
RF Aaron Judge: 10-day IL (right calf strain – out at least through regular season end; targeting postseason).
CF Trent Grisham: 10-day IL (hamstring – unlikely for regular season).
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 10-day IL (thumb – possible activation as early as Tuesday).
DH Giancarlo Stanton: 60-day IL (calf).
RP Fernando Cruz / SP Ryan Weathers: IL (elbow/forearm).
Offense heavily impacted without Judge; Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice, and Anthony Volpe expected to carry the load.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups & Roster Notes
Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz lead a balanced Rays attack with power and contact.
Chandler Simpson provides speed. Without Judge, the Yankees rely on Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice (strong power numbers), and the middle of the order.
Rasmussen has historically handled Yankees hitters well. Both lefty starters (Rodón/Fried) create platoon advantages for Tampa Bay’s right-handed heavy lineup.
Recent Team Forms
Rays: Excellent – won six of last nine vs. Yankees overall this year and riding strong recent play (clinched or near-clinched scenarios). Road record solid.
Yankees: Mixed – dropped series recently; still competitive at home (42-32) but missing star power. Last 10 roughly 4-6.
nydailynews.com
Season Series History
Rays lead the 2026 season series (won six of nine prior meetings). Tampa Bay has dominated head-to-head, including earlier sweeps and close wins. Yankees need a complete turnaround in this final set.
fieldlevelmedia.com
Betting Trends
Unders common in high-quality pitching matchups. Rays have been strong against lefties and in recent head-to-head. Doubleheaders often produce lower-scoring or fatigued-bullpen games later.
Game 1: Slight lean Rays moneyline or +1.5 — Martinez’s consistency and team form edge Rodón’s limited sample. Under 7.0 viable in cool weather.
Game 2: Lean Rays moneyline — Rasmussen’s elite peripherals and historical success vs. Yankees give Tampa Bay the edge over Fried. Under again preferred given both arms’ efficiency.
fanduel.com
Game 1 Odds
Tampa Bay Rays 7
New York Yankees – 120
Game 2 Odds
Tampa Bay Rays 6.5
New York Yankees – 125
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, September 21, 2026
