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Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees

By JR·2 min read
Tampa Bay RaysTB(96-62)
New York YankeesNYY(91-67)
AT
7:05 PM ET

TLDR: Tampa Bay already has the AL East wrapped up. The Yankees are headed to the Wild Card Series with Aaron Judge in a walking boot's worth of doubt, so Thursday in the Bronx is mostly about who looks ready for October.

THU SEP 24, 7:05 PM
Spread
WIN
Total
Rays
(96-62)
LWLWW
Yankees
(91-67)
WLWLL

The Rays have already clinched the AL East, so Thursday's game in the Bronx is a tune-up for both teams. The Yankees are headed to the Wild Card Series and could be without Judge. The matchup comes down to Cy Young frontrunner Cam Schlittler against the homer-prone Ian Seymour, plus how many regulars each side decides to play. New York is favored at home, and the total is short because of Schlittler.

Rays
  • Clinched the division in Tuesday's doubleheader nightcap
  • Put up 6 on the Yankees in that clincher
  • Rodriguez expected back from the IL this week
  • Seymour allowing 1.99 homers per 9
  • Bullpen missing Wells, Cleavinger and Uceta
  • Nothing left to play for, so regulars likely rest
Yankees
  • Schlittler: 1.94 ERA, 6 innings of 1-run ball last time
  • Have taken 2 of the first 3 in this set
  • Scored 9 on Wednesday
  • Judge out with a calf strain
  • Schlittler may get a short leash before Wild Card
  • Lost both games in Arizona before this set

Cam Schlittler (14-6, 1.94) gets the ball at 7:05 PM ET, and this is a tune-up more than a test. Boone has said Schlittler starts Game 1 or Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, with Max Fried taking the other. On paper this is his last regular-season outing before that, and his last one was 6 innings of 1-run ball in Arizona. Ian Seymour (9-7, 4.38) goes for Tampa Bay after getting hit for 4 runs in 5 innings against Boston. The home run is his problem: opponents are hitting 1.99 homers per 9 off him this season, and hard contact has been creeping up over the past month.

Ian Seymour
Ian Seymour
(9-7)·4.38 ERA
Sep 18 vs Red Sox
L
5.0IP
4ER
5K
2BB
87P
09/24 Lineup
Cam Schlittler
Cam Schlittler
(14-6)·1.94 ERA
Sep 19 @ Diamondbacks
ND
6.0IP
1ER
6K
3BB
98P
09/24 Lineup

Tampa Bay clinched the division by winning the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader 6-1, so from here the Rays are managing health. That already looks shaky on the mound. Shane McClanahan won't be on the ALDS roster, and Tyler Wells and Garrett Cleavinger are both on the IL with forearm trouble, which leaves Kevin Cash short on arms he trusts. The Yankees are the favorite here, which makes sense when a Cy Young frontrunner faces a guy who gives up homers.

New York's lineup is still getting by without its best bat. Judge has been out since straining his right calf on September 16. He got an injection Monday and says he wants to be there for the Wild Card opener, but Boone isn't counting on it. Before the injury Judge was hitting .241 with 18 homers in 66 games, a quiet year for him. Giancarlo Stanton homered facing live pitching at Double-A Somerset on Wednesday after a 5½-month absence, though Boone put him on the outskirts of the playoff conversation, most likely as a pinch-hitter.

Tampa Bay Rays
(8)
  • 15-Day-ILNewShane McClanahan (SP) — McClanahan (forearm) will not be included on the Rays' ALDS roster.09/23
  • 15-Day-ILManuel Rodriguez (RP) — Rodriguez (back) is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list at some point this week.09/22
  • 15-Day-ILGarrett Cleavinger (RP) — Cleavinger (forearm) is expected to resume mound work Saturday.09/19
  • 15-Day-ILTyler Wells (RP) — The Rays placed Wells on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right forearm tightness.09/15
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Lux (LF) — Lux (shoulder) has resumed full baseball activity.09/11
  • 60-Day-ILEdwin Uceta (RP) — Uceta (shoulder) is playing catch from 75 feet, per MLB.com.08/15
  • 60-Day-ILJonathan Heasley (RP) — Heasley was returned to the major-league roster and placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right elbow stress reaction.06/08
  • 60-Day-ILRyan Pepiot (SP) — Pepiot will undergo surgery on his right hip May 13 and miss the rest of the 2026 season.05/08
New York Yankees
(7)
  • Day-To-DayNewClarke Schmidt (SP) — Schmidt could be shut down for the season if he's unable to pitch Thursday.09/24
  • 10-Day-ILNewTrent Grisham (CF) — Grisham (hamstring) took part in live batting practice Wednesday.09/24
  • 10-Day-ILNewAaron Judge (RF) — Judge (calf) said Wednesday that he intends to be ready to play in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series.09/23
  • 15-Day-ILFernando Cruz (RP) — On Jomboy Media's "Talkin' Yanks" podcast that Cruz (elbow) has resumed throwing and is doing "pretty well."09/23
  • 15-Day-ILRyan Weathers (SP) — Weathers (forearm) likely won't return in time to pitch again in the regular season.09/19
  • 60-Day-ILNewGiancarlo Stanton (DH) — Stanton (calf) is taking live batting practice at Double-A Somerset with the possibility of being available in some capacity for next week's AL Wild Card Series.09/23
  • 60-Day-ILKervin Castro (RP) — The Yankees transferred Castro (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.08/26

Keep an eye on Clarke Schmidt. The Yankees have said he could be shut down for the season if he can't pitch Thursday, so any Schmidt appearance tonight doubles as his October tryout. Trent Grisham took live batting practice Wednesday as he works back from a hamstring injury. For the Rays, Manuel Rodriguez is expected off the IL at some point this week, which would help a bullpen that needs it.

The Yankees have taken 2 of the first 3 in this set. They won 2-0 in the opener and then 9-2 on Wednesday, with Tampa Bay's 6-1 clincher in between. Beating a team that has nothing left to play for doesn't tell you much. How clean Schlittler looks four days before a playoff start, and whether Seymour can keep the ball in the park, will say more about next week than the final score will.

Tampa Bay Rays
(96-62)
09/23L@Yankees2-9
09/22W@Yankees6-1
09/22L@Yankees0-2
09/20WvsRed Sox5-1
09/19WvsRed Sox2-1
New York Yankees
(91-67)
09/23WvsRays9-2
09/22LvsRays1-6
09/22WvsRays2-0
09/20L@Diamondbacks4-8
09/19L@Diamondbacks3-5

It's 60 degrees and cloudy with a light breeze and no rain in the forecast. The weather won't be an excuse for anybody. Tampa Bay is 96-62 and New York is 91-67, so the real games start next week. Tonight is a dress rehearsal with one of the best arms in the league on the mound.

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Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees — Schlittler Tunes Up For October As Clinched Rays Visit The Bronx | Polymarket Odds · Barstool Bush