October 4, 2026 · By Marcus · 4 min read
Drew Rasmussen missed the loudest moment of the night. He heard it through a bathroom door.
When Jonathan Aranda launched a 417-foot solo homer in the third inning and a sellout crowd of 40,542 at Tropicana Field lost its mind, the Rays starter was not in the dugout. "Unfortunately, I was in the bathroom," Rasmussen said. "It would have been a really cool time to be in the dugout. But, no, I had to take care of my own business."
via USA Today
He handled his business. Rasmussen held the Yankees hitless for 7 2/3 innings and finished with eight scoreless frames, 10 strikeouts and two walks as Tampa Bay beat New York 1-0 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday night. Aranda's homer was the only run either team scored.
Seven and two-thirds of silence
This was not a fluke. Rasmussen is 9-0 with a 1.86 ERA in 12 starts since the All-Star break, and he carried a no-hitter into the seventh against these same Yankees on Sept. 22 in the game that clinched the AL East. Saturday he went further: his 7 2/3 hitless innings tied Washington's Anibal Sanchez in 2019 for the longest individual no-hit bid since Roy Halladay no-hit Cincinnati in 2010. His 10 strikeouts tied a franchise record for a postseason game.
He did it wired. "My heart rate was at a thousand beats per minute," Rasmussen said with a laugh. He had not pitched in the postseason since 2022, and he did not call a single pitch all night, letting catcher Liam Hicks run the whole show.
Manager Kevin Cash was asked what was elite about his starter. "What wasn't elite?" Cash said. Then he grinned: "I've comped him to Roy Halladay. I've said a lot of dumb things in my life. That one was not one."
via USA Today and the New York Post
The one swing
With two outs in the eighth, Austin Wells ripped a ball down the right-field line for a double, the Yankees' only hit of the night. Then he ran through his third base coach's stop sign trying to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out to end the inning. The no-hit bid died and the rally died on the same play.
Gerrit Cole deserved better. The Yankees ace gave up one run on five hits over five innings and took the loss, watching one mistake to Aranda decide it. Bryan Baker struck out two in a clean ninth for the save. The Yankees' pitching has now allowed three runs in three postseason games, and they have one win to show for none of it.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was asked about his confidence after the loss. "Have you ever seen my confidence falter?" he said. "Alright, that's your answer."
via SNY
Game 1, in context
- 7 2/3 hitless innings. Only three no-hitters have ever been finished in the postseason: Don Larsen, Roy Halladay and the 2022 Astros' combined effort.
- 10 strikeouts. Tied the Rays' franchise record for a postseason game.
- One run. Aranda's third-inning homer off Cole was one of five Rays hits. It was all they needed.
- Game 2 is Monday in St. Petersburg. The Yankees turn to ace Cam Schlittler in a near must-win.
The betting angle
Do not overpay for the pinstripes on the road. The Yankees just got one-hit in a playoff game and now face a near must-win with their season's momentum flipped. Tampa's formula is not complicated: elite run prevention at home, and a lineup that only needs one swing. Until the Yankees show they can touch Rays pitching, the underdog price on Tampa keeps carrying value, and the under stays live every time this bullpen gets a lead.