Heroes, zeros and the inside pitch from the Yankees’ 1-0 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS in St. Petersburg, Fla:  

Hero 

If the Yankees are going to win the series, they probably will have to figure out Drew Rasmussen. A Yankee killer all year, the righty took a no-hitter into the eighth and bulldozed a powerful lineup. 

Zero 

Mere seconds after providing the most promising moment of the night for the Yankees, Austin Wells provided the least. The catcher smacked a hit down the right field line to break up Rasmussen’s no-hitter, then was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. 

Unsung hero 

The Rays did little against Gerrit Cole and a trio of Yankees relievers apart from Jonathan Aranda, who crushed a home run to deep right-center for the only run-producing swing of the night. 

Key stat 

1: Hit by the same Yankees team that collected 26 in two games against the Red Sox. 

Jonathan Aranda watches his solo home leave the yard in the third inning of the Yankees’ 1-0 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS on Oct. 3, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Quote

“You have to take risks. But in that situation, obviously the risk was wrong.” 

— Austin Wells