Rays clinch their fifth AL East crown with a victory at Yankee Stadium

The Tampa Bay Rays clinched the fifth American League East title in franchise history on Tuesday night by defeating the New York Yankees 6-1 at Yankee Stadium.

Drew Rasmussen allowed his only hit in the seventh inning and struck out 11as the Rays (96-61) secured home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs and took their first division crown since 2021, when they won 100 games.

“Pretty incredible,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “This is a tight-knit group. They do everything together.”

Tampa Bay also earned AL East championships in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season along with 2010 and 2008, when the team had its first winning season after entering the league as an expansion franchise in 1998.

The Rays earned a bye through the first round of the postseason and will open play In the best-of-five AL Division Series on Oct. 3 at Tropicana Field. The opponent will be one of their AL East rivals, the Yankees or Boston Red Sox, who will meet in the wild card round beginning Sept. 29.

Tampa Bay, which clinched a playoff berth Sept. 11, is the first team this season to win a division. The Rays are two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the majors and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

The Rays debuted their new “gray” road uniforms with “Tampa Bay” across the chest in the clincher. Afterward, it didn’t take long to cover them with T-shirts that proclaimed they were division "champs."'

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After closer Bryan Baker retired Yankees rookie George Lombard Jr. for the final out, the Rays shook hands on the field and exchanged hugs near the dugout to start their celebration. Then champagne began to flow in the Yankee Stadium visitors’ clubhouse.

“For us to go out there and take care of business and win the division is special,” Tampa Bay infielder Taylor Walls said.

Rasmussen outdueled the Yankees’ Max Fried, throwing a career-high 114 pitches, 72 for strikes. He threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of 24 hitters and notched his fourth career double-digit strikeout game.

“Not surprised because he’s so tunnel-visioned when he gets on the mound,” Cash said of Rasmussen, who allowed one hit for the fourth time this year. He also yielded just one hit in six innings against the Yankees on April 12.

Meantime, Yandy Díaz hit a two-run single off reliever John Schreiber in the seventh and had another two-run single in the ninth for his AL-leading 175th hit.

Walls started the three-run seventh with a bunt single against Fried (5-5) when first base was left uncovered. Ryan Vilade hit an RBI groundout in the third after Díaz’s flyball moved runners to second and third.

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Rasmussen (16-5) was nine outs from joining Matt Garza as Tampa Bay pitchers with a no-hitter when he gave up a leadoff double to Heliot Ramos on his 97th pitch. Garza held the Detroit Tigers hitless at Tropicana Field on July 26, 2010.

After allowing Ramos’ hit to left field, Rasmussen got the next two outs before walking Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a full count. Kevin Kelly entered and permitted rookie George Lombard Jr.’s RBI single before retiring Austin Wells on a groundout.

Cam Booser and Bryan Baker pitched an inning apiece to finish the three-hitter.

Fried allowed four runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

The Yankees were held to three hits or fewer for the 13th time this year.

Adam Hunger

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AP

The Rays have led the division since June 27 and spent 128 days in first place ahead of the Yankees, who only had Aaron Judge for 66 games due to a fractured right rib and a sore right calf that likely will keep the slugger out of next week’s best-of-three Wild Card Series at home.

In the opener, Carlos Rodón allowed three hits in eight sharp innings as New York delayed Tampa Bay's celebration with a 2-0 victory.

The Yankees (90-67) will host the Wild Card Series for a second consecutive year.

"Hopefully, we get another crack at them in the next couple weeks. They've certainly earned the division," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.