Yankees' Ugly Game 1 Doesn't Have to Define Series with Rays

The New York Yankees are down in the series, but it doesn't mean things are over yet.

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) attempts to run to third base in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If there's one benefit to winning the division, it's that the Tampa Bay Rays will have Drew Rasmussen in games one and four, while the New York Yankees will have Cam Schlittler in game two, but won't be able to see him again until game five — if the series even reaches that point. Knowing Rasmussen is waiting for them again probably makes the ALDS feel like a tall mountain to climb, but it's far from over.

If the Rays take game two, consider the series done. Then there isn't much you can take yourself into for the Yankees because they're in the same spot they were in last year.

Unless the worst happens, though, there should be some level of optimism that if the Yankees can split the series before heading back home. Consider that a win, even if the bats went silent the way they did in game one against Rasmussen.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) reacts in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees in game one of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On paper, they should win Cam Schlittler's start, unless Freddy Peralta has truly turned back the clock to his Milwaukee days with the Rays. Then they need a solid outings from one of Carlos Rodon and Max Fried on the mound before it's back to Schlittler in game five at the Trop. Given the strength of the rotation and the fact that Rasmussen won't be pitching every day against the Yankees, the series is far from over.

Plus, the Rays' bats weren't really that effective. The Yankees sent out Gerrit Cole, who, realistically, is probably their third-best starter at this point, and they mustered only one earned run against him and the bullpen. The Yankees aren't the only team with a power outage.

Avoiding what happened last year in the ALDS

Then again, this is probably something fans may have talked themselves into last year when Luis Gil was on the mound for game one, and the Yankees lost not just that one, but game two, when the Blue Jays stomped on Max Fried and the rest of the staff. The Yankees may feel like they're a better team than the 2025 squad because of that starting rotation, but one way to prove it is to go out and win two of the next three. The pitching advantage goes to the Yankees from here on out.

There is the nightmare scenario where game one becomes the precursor to a long series in which the Yankees don't score — a familiar theme for this time of year for the last decade and change. There's no better time than now for the Yankees to change their fortunes, of course. Who knows when this rotation will be healthy enough to start all at once again in future years.