The Yankees swept Boston by a combined 18–2 score without Aaron Judge. Their next opponent can make those same pitchers work in a different way: Tampa Bay struck out 335 fewer times than New York during the regular season and stole 164 bases.
The Rays host the first two games of the best-of-five American League Division Series after winning the AL East at 98–64. New York finished 93–68 and won six of the clubs’ 13 meetings, including the final three. Tampa Bay took the season series 7–6, although the Yankees outscored the Rays 54–45.
Full series schedule
Best of five; the first team to three wins advances. Games marked * are played only if needed. Times are Eastern (ET) and Mountain (MT), using EDT and MDT for these dates.
| Game | Date | Ballpark | ET | MT | U.S. TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat, Oct. 3 | Tropicana Field | 6:30 pm | 4:30 pm | TBS / truTV |
| 2 | Mon, Oct. 5 | Tropicana Field | 8 pm | 6 pm | TBS / truTV |
| 3 | Wed, Oct. 7 | Yankee Stadium | 8 pm | 6 pm | TBS / truTV |
| 4* | Thu, Oct. 8 | Yankee Stadium | 8 pm | 6 pm | TBS / truTV |
| 5* | Sat, Oct. 10 | Tropicana Field | 8 pm | 6 pm | TBS / truTV |
Start times and broadcast assignments are subject to change. If only one ALDS Game 4 or Game 5 is needed that day, it starts at 8 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. MT.
How to watch and listen
Every game is scheduled for TBS and truTV in the United States, with streaming on HBO Max. Spanish-language coverage is on UniMás. In Canada, Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ carry the postseason; check the daily guide for the specific Sportsnet television channel.
ESPN Radio has national coverage. Team radio is WFAN 660 AM/101.9 FM for New York and WDAE 95.7 for Tampa Bay. The national postseason broadcasts replace the usual regional television coverage.
Rasmussen opens; New York still has a choice
| Game | Yankees | Rays |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TBD | Drew Rasmussen |
| 2 | Cam Schlittler | TBD |
| 3 | TBD | TBD |
| 4* | TBD | TBD |
| 5* | TBD | TBD |
MLB.com’s rotation report lists Cole and Rodón as possible Game 1/3 starters. Those assignments remain unconfirmed.
Drew Rasmussen’s 0.91 WHIP and 32 walks in 172 innings show how rarely he gives away a baserunner. Ben Rice, who finished with 41 homers and a .363 on-base percentage, gives New York a hitter capable of doing damage without needing a string of singles. The Rays allowed 201 home runs; avoiding walks ahead of those swings matters.
Cam Schlittler is listed for Game 2 after a season with 239 strikeouts and a 1.95 ERA. That assignment also leaves him available on regular rest for a possible Game 5. Max Fried started the September 30 clincher, so his next appearance requires a separate decision about rest and series position.
| Pitcher | ERA | IP | K | BB | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerrit Cole | 3.61 | 127 | 131 | 25 | 1.10 |
| Carlos Rodón | 2.67 | 84⅓ | 91 | 38 | 1.06 |
| Cam Schlittler | 1.95 | 193⅔ | 239 | 49 | 0.92 |
| Max Fried | 2.80 | 112⅔ | 104 | 33 | 0.99 |
| Drew Rasmussen | 2.67 | 172 | 174 | 32 | 0.91 |
| David Bednar | 2.47 | 69⅓ | 76 | 20 | 1.04 |
| Bryan Baker | 1.44 | 62⅓ | 63 | 22 | 0.91 |
Tampa Bay’s contact tests New York’s run prevention
| Team | Record | Run diff. | HR | OBP | OPS | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankees | 93–68 | +138 | 223 | .311 | .720 | 3.23 |
| Rays | 98–64 | +86 | 169 | .326 | .728 | 3.70 |
The teams scored almost the same number of regular-season runs, but New York did it with 54 more home runs. Tampa Bay’s .258 average and .326 on-base percentage exceeded the Yankees’ .235 and .311. Junior Caminero supplied 42 homers and a .884 OPS, while Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda both reached base at rates above .350.
Chandler Simpson’s 46 steals give the Rays another way to change an inning. Keeping him off base matters more than treating every Tampa Bay hitter as a power threat. The Yankees allowed only 76 stolen bases all season, so this is a direct test of a strength on each side.
New York’s pitching allowed 49 fewer runs than Tampa Bay’s across the season. The 3.23 team ERA supports the Yankees’ case more clearly than the regular-season win totals alone. It also explains why Judge’s absence did not leave them without a credible route through the first round.
Judge’s availability changes the lineup
Judge’s return from a right calf strain has not been confirmed. Joe Pantorno’s October 1 clubhouse report describes the difficulty of fitting him into a lineup with Rice at designated hitter: Judge would have to be ready to play the outfield. A celebration photograph from the clincher does not mean he was cleared to play.
Until the ALDS roster is announced, New York’s preview has to account for both possibilities. Rice and Cody Bellinger remain central to the offense; adding Judge would change the decisions Tampa Bay makes around them. The ALDS roster announcement will settle that question.
The late innings
David Bednar finished with 35 saves and a 2.47 ERA for New York. Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker had 41 saves, a 1.44 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. Neither club needs to save its best reliever exclusively for the ninth if the decisive hitters arrive earlier, but an extended game can make the depth behind those closers more consequential.
The first two games are separated by an off day, giving both managers room to use their preferred relievers aggressively. Games 3 and 4 are consecutive, so a long outing in the Bronx could affect the following night’s options.
For the other Division Series, read White Sox vs. Guardians ALDS preview, Braves vs. Dodgers NLDS preview and Padres vs. Brewers NLDS preview. The complete postseason watch guide covers the later-round calendar.
Reporting checked October 2, 2026. Schedule, official probable starters, season statistics and head-to-head results: MLB schedule and MLB statistics, checked against MLB’s public statistical feed. Pitching options discussed in the text are distinguished from the announced starters in the table.
