The Yankees lost the opener of their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2, on Monday night.
Here are the takeaways…
-Most of the scoring in this one happened in the first inning as fans were still piling into the stadium and getting to their seats. It started with the Rays who got two early runs off Cam Schlittler after Home Run Derby runner-up Junior Caminero got a hold of one and sent it 397 feet to left center field for his 27th homer of the season.
The two-run shot happened after Schlittler retired the first two batters of the inning but then walked Jonathan Aranda following a tough nine-pitch battle that kept the inning going. After the home run, Schlittler walked two more in the inning. He got the final out on a 110 mph line drive off the bat of Tristan Gray that was caught by Cody Bellinger in right field.
-Staked to a 2-0 lead, Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen hoped to continue his dominant ways against the Yankees. Entering Monday, the right-hander owned a 0.34 ERA against New York (one earned run in 26.2 innings) and hadn't allowed a single run at Yankee Stadium through two starts and 13 innings.
However, with Rays catcher Danny Jansen a late scratch from the lineup after getting traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, Matt Thaiss was inserted behind the plate last-minute. Perhaps the late switch messed with Rasmussen as his scoreless streak against New York in the Bronx was quickly broken after the Yanks responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first.
-Three straight singles by Jasson Dominguez, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton loaded the bases before Rasmussen walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. to force in a run. After striking out Paul Goldschmidt whose offensive struggles continue, Rasmussen walked in another run, this time losing Ryan McMahon on a full-count to tie the game. With the bases still loaded, Austin Wells popped out to end an eventful first inning.
-From there, things quieted down despite constant traffic on the bases for Schlittler. The rookie was able to get out of the next three innings without allowing another run, but he couldn't do it in the fifth. A walk and two singles produced the Rays' third run of the game and gave them a 3-2 lead. It was also the end of the road for Schlittler who left after 4.1 innings where he allowed three earned runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out five.
-In relief of Schlittler, Brent Headrick made his first appearance for New York since June 8 and struck out both batters he faced to strand runners at the corners and keep it a one-run game. He added a scoreless sixth, as well.
-Meanwhile, Rasmussen settled into a groove after his difficult first inning and went five innings, retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced.
-Tampa Bay scored an insurance run in the eighth on a sac fly to double its lead. It wouldn't need it, though, as the Yankees offense couldn't score again. McMahon had a two-out single in the ninth and with Wells as the tying run he gave it a ride but lined out to center field for the final out of the game.
Game MVP: Drew Rasmussen
After a hiccup in the first inning, the Yankee killer was back and limited New York's floundering offense through five innings.
Highlights
Ryan McMahon draws a walk and the game is tied! pic.twitter.com/21a0R734H8
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 28, 2025
What's next
The Yankees continue their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
LHP Max Fried (11-4, 2.62 ERA) matches up against RHP Joe Boyle (1-0, 1.42 ERA).
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