Rays Clinch AL East as Drew Rasmussen Takes No-Hit Bid Into Seventh Against Yankees
Drew Rasmussen struck out 11 as the Rays beat the Yankees 6-1 on September 22 to clinch the 2026 AL East and the American League's No. 1 seed.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
The Tampa Bay Rays clinched the 2026 American League East title on Tuesday, September 22, beating the New York Yankees 6-1 in the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. Drew Rasmussen carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and struck out 11, giving Tampa Bay its first division crown since 2021 and the AL’s No. 1 postseason seed.
The Yankees had postponed the celebration with a 2-0 win in the opener. Rasmussen made sure the wait lasted only a few hours.
Rasmussen controls the clincher
Rasmussen did not allow a hit through six innings. Heliot Ramos opened the seventh with a double, the only hit against the Rays starter, who finished after 6 2/3 innings and a career-high 114 pitches. He walked two and struck out 11.
Tampa Bay built its lead without a home run. Ryan Vilade put the Rays ahead with a run-scoring groundout in the third, and Taylor Walls added an RBI bunt in the seventh. Yandy Díaz then supplied the separation with two two-run singles, finishing with four RBIs.
New York scored its lone run in the seventh after Rasmussen departed, but the Yankees never mounted a sustained comeback. The result gave the Rays a split of the doubleheader and the division title on their rivals’ field.
From preseason doubt to the AL’s top seed
The Rays were coming off consecutive fourth-place AL East finishes and entered 2026 with little expectation of winning a crowded division. They instead reached 96-61 with Tuesday’s victory, secured their fifth AL East title and locked up home-field advantage through a potential AL Championship Series.
Tampa Bay has held first place for most of the season. The club had spent 88 consecutive days atop the division entering the clincher and went 40-19 from July 20 through Tuesday, according to MLB.
The No. 1 seed gives the Rays a bye past the Wild Card Series. The Yankees will host a Wild Card Series beginning September 29; if they advance, the division rivals could meet again when the AL Division Series opens October 3 at Tropicana Field.
For Tampa Bay, Tuesday’s celebration was the reward for a season of consistency. The next test is whether that regular-season edge carries into October.
