The Tampa Bay Rays will host the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field on Saturday night for Game 1 of their playoff series.
It will be just the second postseason meeting between the two teams. The Rays eliminated New York in the 2020 playoffs and are hoping for a similar result this year.
Tropicana Field hosts Game 1
What we know:
The Rays will start Drew Rasmussen in Game 1 at Tropicana Field.
Rasmussen has not lost a game he has started since the All-Star break.
His most recent appearance came in New York, where he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out 11 batters as the Rays clinched the American League East.
The Rays finished the regular season with 98 wins and the best record in the American League. Their offense and pitching both ranked among the top five in the majors.
They also led Major League Baseball with a 55-26 record at home.
Fan information for St. Petersburg
What you can do:
Gates for Saturday’s game will open three hours before first pitch.
Parking at Tropicana Field will be available only to fans with a prepaid postseason parking pass.
Playoff history and postseason schedule
The backstory:
The Yankees are coming off a two-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox. New York scored 18 runs and allowed only two during the best of three Wild Card series.
The Rays had several days to rest after clinching the division but have spent the week working to stay sharp through workouts and scrimmages.
Games 1 and 2 will take place at Tropicana Field on Saturday and Monday, with Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. All games will broadcast on TBS, truTV, and Max.
Yankees roster and injuries
What we don't know:
The Yankees have not announced their starting pitcher for Game 1.
It is also unclear whether Aaron Judge will play in the series.
The three-time American League MVP has not played since straining his right calf in mid-September. That injury came just seven games after he returned from more than three months out with a fractured rib.
Judge has taken live at-bats this week but has not practiced with the full team. He told reporters Thursday that he is doing everything he can to be cleared to play Saturday.
The Source: This preview is based on the American League playoff schedule, information provided by the Rays and Yankees, and interviews and reporting from FOX 13.