Brief

Yankees face Rays in ALDS after wild‑card sweep of Red Sox

Aaron Boone says the Rays present a tough obstacle as the Yankees look for a different outcome than last year’s ALDS loss.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 02 Oct 2026 07:20:31 GMT

The New York Yankees will open an American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Florida, after completing a sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the wild‑card round, the NY Post reported.

What happened

Wednesday, September 30, 2026, saw Cody Bellinger hit a three‑run home run in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the best‑of‑three wild‑card series, helping the Yankees clinch the series without needing a third game. Pitchers Cam Schlittler and Max Fried combined for 12 1/3 innings, allowing only one run and striking out 16 batters, meaning the staff did not have to rely on Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodón.

What the reports add

The article notes that the Rays finished the regular season 4½ games ahead of the Yankees, winning the AL East on June 28 and taking seven of the 13 head‑to‑head games, including a five‑game sweep at home in April. Tampa Bay’s contact‑heavy approach (an 18.8 percent strikeout rate) is highlighted as a contrast to the Yankees’ power‑centric style.

What was said

“We have, hopefully, a long month in front of us,” manager Aaron Boone said, adding that the Rays are a “really challenging” next obstacle. Belling, reflecting on the previous year’s ALDS loss, said, “We were here last year… We were at this [upcoming] series,” before trailing off.

How it came about

The Yankees entered the postseason after a late‑season surge that saw them overcome injuries to key players such as Aaron Judge and Fernando Cruz, the latter being placed on the 60‑day injured list on September 26. Earlier reports from Felo News documented the Yankees’ wild‑card matchup against Boston and the activation of outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. during the final stretch, setting the stage for the current ALDS showdown.

Key facts

Cody Bellinger hit a three‑run homer in Game 2 of the wild‑card series (nypost.com)
Cam Schlittler and Max Fried combined for 12 1/3 innings, allowing one run (nypost.com)
The Yankees will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS starting Saturday in St. Petersburg (nypost.com)
The Rays finished the regular season 4½ games ahead of the Yankees and won the AL East (nypost.com)