The Tampa Bay Rays are comfortable waiting to the late innings to pull off comebacks and certainly at ease in those situations against the New York Yankees.
The only thing that stopped the Rays so far was heavy rain postponing Saturday’s game and the Yankees will attempt to beat the AL East rivals when the teams try to conclude the abbreviated series Sunday, though rain remains in the forecast.
The teams will make Saturday’s game as part of a split doubleheader on Sept. 22. Another doubleheader may be forced upon the teams since heavy rain is projected for New York throughout Sunday.
If the game can get played, the Rays will attempt to widen their lead in the AL East over the Yankees to 6 1/2 games.
The Rays are on a five-game winning streak and are 22-4 in their past 26 games since a 12-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 21 after scoring four times in the eighth inning of Friday’s 4-2 win.
“That’s who we are. I think everyone’s bought into our style of play, how we play,” starter Nick Martinez said after the Rays improved to 14-2 against divisional opponents. “We don’t give up, man. We’re not down until it’s over.”
The Rays scored four times in the eighth inning for the second straight game after also doing so in Wednesday’s 5-3 win over Baltimore.
“We’re a grindy team,” Martinez said. “We’re going to scrap our way in it.”
Jonathan Aranda is hitting .338 (22-for-65) with 13 RBIs in his past 18 games after getting a tying double. Richie Palacios is hitting .394 (13-for-33) with nine RBIs over his past 10 games after contributing a two-run single.
The Yankees are 4-10 in their past 14 games and have been held to three runs or fewer nine times in that span. During their past three games, the Yankees have scored three times while going 3-for-22 with runners in scoring position.
On Friday, the Yankees totaled 11 hits, marking only the third time during their 14-game slide they finished with double-digit hits.
“With what we’re going through, you hate losing the game,” said manager Aaron Boone, whose team won nine of 13 meetings with Tampa Bay last season. “We’ve got to find a way to beat that club.”
Aaron Judge is homerless in his past 11 games since May 10 in Milwaukee and is mired in a 1-for-24 slump after ending Friday’s game with a flyout to center field.
Drew Rasmussen (4-1, 3.19 ERA) pitches for the Rays and attempts to win three straight starts for the third time in his career. Rasmussen allowed two earned runs or fewer for the sixth time this season in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Miami Marlins when he permitted two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Rasmussen is 4-1 with a 1.03 ERA in eight career outings (seven starts) against the Yankees. He also is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in three career starts in New York and Judge is 1-for-13 against the right-hander.
Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.58), who is coming off a pair of no-decisions, pitches for the Yankees. Weathers pitched in Monday’s 7-6 win over Toronto and tied season highs by allowing five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Weathers is starting against the Rays for the second time. On June 7, 2025 for the Marlins, Weathers allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits in three hits and took a no-decision.
–Field Level Media
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