There’s more than one route through October.

Perhaps that’s the ultimate takeaway from what we’ll call the penultimate quadruple-header in Major League Baseball’s playoffs. Day One of the Division Series round saw all four matchups tipping off, and if you’re looking for a hard and fast maxim of What Works and What Is Smart, keep it moving.

Sure, you could pay $60 million a year for a guy to hit just one timely home run, and maybe more to come. Or enter the playoffs with virtually no starting pitchers. Or hand the ball to an ace that’s undergone three major arm surgeries.

All those maneuvers came up aces on Saturday, Oct. 3, when four teams got the jump in this best-of-five round.

Should all four series go at least four games, we’ll do this again Wednesday, when Game 3s in the American League and Game 4s in the National will transpire. For now, let’s isolate some key takeaways from the last guaranteed day of wall-to-wall baseball:

Rays-Yankees looks like the real ALCS

We’re not going to get on a soapbox about the “broken” playoff seeding system. Yeah, it’s not necessarily a great look that the two Division Series matchups will be intra-division battles from the cash-poor Central and the big-boy East.

And perhaps this Tampa Bay Rays-New York Yankees battle deserves the best-of-seven treatment to further separate the two best teams in  the game’s best division.

But MLB’s desire to preserve the sanctity of the division title is fairly worthy. It keeps a carrot dangling for good teams to chase throughout September. That the Cleveland Guardians may not truly be “the two seed” isn’t going to kill anybody.

With that said, this Rays-Yankees series will bring the AL playoffs to a premature apex.

You won’t find a finer-played baseball game than the 1-0 one-hitter Tampa Bay threw at New York in Game 1. So clean: There was a well-defined hero and goat, with Drew Rasmussen nearly no-hitting the Yankees until Austin Wells broke it up with a double down the line – and then got thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.

Rasmussen, famously fighting for his career after three major arm surgeries, got 16 called strikes or whiffs on his changeup, and tied the Yankees up in knots all night. It was jarring seeing a club that scored 18 runs in the two-game wild-card series get held to zero.

The Yankees must rally quickly. Yet they also have undeterred ace Cam Schlittler going in Game 2 Monday, after an off day. He’s aligned to face Freddy Peralta, who pitched much better in Tampa Bay than with the New York Mets.

This series is probably going five games. Every one should be delectable.

The Dodgers are not automatic

Their largesse was on full display in Game 1: Kyle Tucker, the $60 million lockout-inducing slugger, crushed a two-run home run. Tarik Skubal schvitzed through six innings in 100-degree heat. Teoscar Hernández, like Tucker, carried a red-hot September into their playoff lid-lifter and drilled a two-run homer to start the scoring.

Yet a 5-3 win over an Atlanta team that’d be happy to “steal” the game did not suggest this would be a romp through the playoffs. Tanner Scott got got by Ozzie Albies for a two-run, ninth-inning homer.

Skubal got just one swing-and-miss on his 16 fastballs. They hit three homers, but produced no other extra-base hits against an undistinguished stream of Atlanta relievers.

If Chris Sale wakes up Sunday morning feeling spry, there’s a chance this baby is squared 1-1 going back to Atlanta. There’s also a chance the Dodgers assert their dominance, sweep aside the Braves and return to their regularly scheduled programming.

The Sale game, be it in Game 2 or 3, will be an interesting tell: The Dodgers’ aging lineup against the 37-year-old who nonetheless gets it up to 97 mph coming out of his 6-6 frame.

Bullpen games: Don’t try this at home

Goodness, what a show put on by five Chicago White Sox pitchers, starting with Hagen Smith and ending with four sterling innings from erstwhile closer Grant Davis in their 3-0 quieting of Cleveland.

The White Sox are 3-0 in this postseason, turning conventional wisdom on its ear as they remain, largely, a starter-free zone. Great job by them.

Yet starting pitcher paucities are catching up elsewhere.

The Braves used their two guys – Sale and Tyler Mahle – to escape the Phillies’ grip in the wild-card series. And then they were tapped out, starting Dylan Dodd, who gave them three shutout innings before yielding to Victor Mederos and AJ Smith-Shawver.

Who combined to give up all five runs.

Nope, it’s almost impossible to have five relief arms firing at once. Even the great San Diego Padres bullpen found this out.

This was no bullpen game, but lefty Robbie Ray has been hit hard lately and sure enough, recorded just eight outs in Game 1 at Milwaukee. Yuki Matsui, Bradley Rodriguez and Jason Adam all were on point – and then, for one pitch, Adrian Morejon wasn’t.

The All-Star lefty yielded a seventh-inning, go-ahead homer to the Brewers’ William Contreras. Milwaukee survived a shaky night from Jacob Misiorowski. Yet in Game 2, the Padres get good news: Ace Michael King is on turn.

San Diego’s formula appears clear: It must win on nights King and Nick Pivetta start. Because man cannot live on relief arms alone – except, it appears, the White Sox.

Tonnage is fun

A few online grumblers seemed to shake their heads that this four-game festival was pitted against college football. Counterpoint: It’s hard to beat 11 hours of playoff baseball.

Supposedly the big game this week was in Iowa, though reasonable men and women might’ve sniffed out that that was a fraudulent premise. Meanwhile, Game 1s of the Division Series produced a near no-hitter, and four games that qualified as “close-and-late,” including two one-run affairs.

And while they took their medicine Saturday, MLB’s TV logisticians now have it aligned to avoid Big Football during the World Series. Things break right, we can do it all again Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoffs mega day takeaways: Rays-Yanks is real ALCS, Dodgers not a lock

Players and fans alike were left confused in the ninth inning at American Family Field in Milwaukee when Ty France's high fly ball – that might have been a go-ahead home run – struck the roof and was caught by left fielder Jackson Chourio.

Under the stadium's ground rules, a "batted ball striking roof, roof truss or roof cable over fair territory" is considered in play.

The San Diego Padres challenged the call on the field but the ground rules are explicit and the Milwaukee Brewers caught a massive break from their home ballpark to stay in the lead.

With two outs, Trevor Megill retired the next batter Jackson Merrill to end the game and secure the Brewers' 3-2 win in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The second game in the best-of-five series is Sunday, Oct. 4 in Milwaukee.

Oh. My. Goodness.

This ball hit by France looked to potentially be a go-ahead home run, but it hit the roof and was caught, and was ruled an out. pic.twitter.com/E6pnoausP7

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 4, 2026

However, according to MLB Statcast – using exit velocity, launch angle and other data – the ball would have been a home run in just one of baseball's 30 ballparks: Houston's Daikin Park.

Talking to Fox after the game, Megill said he didn't previously know the ground rule.

"At first, it was, 'Oh, crap,' and then the home-plate umpire came up and said it was live no matter what," Megill said. "Four years in this stadium, I've never seen that before. Just glad it worked in our favor there."

Said Padres manager Craig Stammen: "We joked today at the umpires meeting about what would happen if the ball in the roof. It's unlikely, but it happens."

It's the second time this year that the Padres were victimized by a roof, as the catwalks at Tropicana Field obstructed a Xander Bogaerts drive in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

After review the call stands.

France is out.

Two outs now in the 9th.

Wow. pic.twitter.com/r211Q6SUxm

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 4, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brewers saved by their stadium roof as potential HR strikes Milwaukee dome

Without relitigating anything from Saturday, Sunday has to be treated as a game of the utmost importance for the Braves, with no pitching restrictions. All of the Braves’ top arms have had two days to rest now and with an off-day Monday, there is no excuse to hold back. Chris Sale or not, Walt Weiss needs to be aggressive with the bullpen and put the Braves in the best position to win this game going home at the margins.

Braves News

The Braves lost Game 1 of their NLDS matchup 5-3, with a late comeback bid falling short.

Walt Weiss was noncommittal about Chris Sale’s status for Sunday.

Many in Braves Country are looking for more urgency from Walt Weiss in his management, after what felt like a bit of a punt pitching strategy on Saturday.

Atlanta released their NLDS roster, including a few more pitchers than in the Wild-Card.

MLB News

Aaron Judge was excluded from the Yankees’ ALDS roster with his nagging calf injury.

The Rays shut out the Yankees and beat them 1-0, behind a brilliant Drew Rasmussen start.

The Cinderella White Sox took Game 1 in Cleveland for their ALDS in the wide-open AL.

Xander Bogaerts has a new approach at the plate and it’s making a difference. But his secret weapon is no longer a secret.

When NBC analyst Clayton Kershaw pointed out the split grip that Bogaerts was using in the NL Wild Card Series, most had not noted the new technique being used by the Padres shortstop.

During the worst offensive season of his career, with the hope of a postseason run on the horizon, Bogaerts took a suggestion from the coaching staff to try something different.

Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune was able to get some details about Bogaerts’ mechanical adjustment. 

In his Padres Notes on Oct. 2, Sanders traces the change to the road series in Colorado during mid-September. The Padres shortstop had repeatedly rolled over on pitches during the season, leading to weak grounders and lots of outs.

The staff suggested using a split grip on his bat. 

The grip change results in keeping the hands separated by 1-2 inches, which gives better bat control while also helping to keep the bat level through the hitting plane. This helps lift the ball rather than pounding it into the ground.

Clayton Kershaw noticed the grip

After pointing out the change, Kershaw explained the effect the split grip has on the action of the bat. It has been clear that the change has improved Bogaerts’ results late in the season. His incremental decline while a Padre has been discussed at length. Any improvement is welcome, especially for the postseason.

2026 futility

Prior to the All-Star break, Bogaerts was hitting .224 with a .648 OPS. His best month before September was the fast start he had in April, hitting .292 with an .854 OPS.

After slumping in May, Bogaerts has struggled throughout the season, with July being a new low when he hit .167 with a .523 OPS. Starting the season in the top five of the order, Bogaerts found himself hitting in the bottom three.

Blazing to the finish

With the mechanical change made in September, Bogaerts had a .315/.425/.479 batting line with a .904 OPS for the month. He was a vital contributor to the surge that landed his team in the postseason for a record-setting third straight season.

Reluctant to share the details

Bogaerts was one of the three Padres available to the media before their first game of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Along with manager Craig Stammen and starter Robbie Ray, Bogaerts answered questions about the upcoming series.

Except for any questions about his new batting grip.

When questioned about the origin of the new grip pointed out by Kershaw in the second game of the Wild Card Series, Bogaerts responded, “I don’t know,” he said. “It’s working, so let’s keep it going.”

When pressed further about whether it came out of nowhere, Bogaerts replied, “It didn’t come out of nowhere but it’s hopeful it continues, no?”

Known as a superstitious player, Bogaerts was clearly not keen to discuss the new grip. 

The results speak for themselves. 

Shortly after implementing the change, Bogaerts was a single shy of the cycle in Colorado and went on to hit .400/.500/.800 to finish the season.

When Saunders asked hitting coach Stephen Souza Jr. about the change, Souza said, “He started doing it and he started hitting lasers.”

The prior grip used by Bogaerts

The split grip used since mid-September

ST. PETERSBURG, FL − The loudest moments in Tropicana Field in years came in the third inning Saturday night. Jonathan Aranda launched a 417-foot homer and a sellout crowd of 40,542 lost its collective minds.

Drew Rasmussen missed it. He heard it through the bathroom door.

"Unfortunately, I was in the bathroom," the Rays starter said. "It would have been a really cool time to be in the dugout. But, no, I had to take care of my own business."

Rasmussen handled his business and the Rays' Saturday. He held the Yankees hitless for 7⅔ innings, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 1-0 in Game 1 of the best-of-five American League Division Series. Aranda's homer was the only run either team scored. Rasmussen made it hold up from the mound, with a save from Bryan Baker.

Rasmussen threw eight scoreless innings and allowed one hit.

The Yankees' lone hit came with two outs in the eighth, when Austin Wells doubled down the right-field line. Wells then ran through his third base coach's stop sign and was thrown out at third.

Only three pitchers or staffs have finished a no-hitter in the postseason. Rasmussen's 7⅔ hitless innings tied Washington's Anibal Sanchez in 2019 for the longest individual bid since Roy Halladay no-hit Cincinnati in 2010. His 10 strikeouts tied a franchise record for the most in a postseason game.

Rasmussen said he never thought about a no-hitter.

"I wasn't worried about it," Rasmussen said. "I was just trying to execute every pitch."

"What wasn't elite?" Rays manager Kevin Cash said when asked about his starter.

Rasmussen, however, didn't feel elite. He just felt wired.

"My heart rate was at a thousand beats per minute," he said with a laugh.

He hadn't pitched in the postseason since 2022 and the crowd hit him the second he walked out of the dugout. The Rays, who had a crowd of just over 19,000 in their last home playoff series opener, opened the third tier and had a genuine sell-out Saturday.

Somewhere around the third or fourth inning, he told pitching coach Kyle Snyder he was throwing at about 50% effort, because anything above it was a "major misfire."

So he handed control to his catcher. He let Liam Hicks call the game.

"I just tried my best to execute, in all honesty, whatever pitch Liam called," Rasmussen said. "He was incredible. Other than me missing middle on a front hip sinker to Wells, I think he did an excellent job."

That ball was lined to the right-field corner. Wells had a sure double, but decided to go for a triple. Rasmussen said he looked back and was relieved to seen Victor Mesa, Jr. on top of it and getting the ball to shortstop Taylor Walls.

"He threw an absolute seed to Wallsy," Rasmussen said of Mesa. "We laugh about it. We joke about it. Anything you can do to get the ball in No. 6's hands is a really, really good option."

And giving the ball to Rasmussen against the Yankees, which the Rays could do again in this series, is a really, really good option, too.

Rasmussen, 31, nearly no-hit the same lineup less than two weeks ago. On Sept. 22 at Yankee Stadium, he struck out 11 on a career-high 114 pitches and did not allow a hit until the seventh inning of a 6-1 win that clinched the AL East for Tampa Bay.

The right-hander has made a habit of tormenting New York. He entered Saturday 5-2 with a 1.81 ERA in 11 career games against the Yankees.

His path here was anything but smooth. Rasmussen had two Tommy John surgeries in college at Oregon State and underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow in July 2023. The last pitch he threw before that surgery finished seven shutout innings at Yankee Stadium. He returned as a reliever in August 2024 before reclaiming a rotation spot.

It capped what has already been a career year for Rasmussen, who set personal bests this season with 16 wins, 174 strikeouts, 172 innings and a 0.91 WHIP that led the American League.

The Yankees were very aware of what they were facing and what they could face again this series with Rasmussen.

"I thought he was really sharp. I thought his change-up was good for him and in play. Obviously, with our left-handed hitters, it looked like he had the cutter going when he needed to. Then the good four-seamer where he mixed in some sinkers off of it," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "His command is just really good and kind of what sets him apart.

"He's got a great arsenal. The ability to pitch on both sides of the plate and up and down obviously makes him challenging and one we've had a hard time solving."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Drew Rasmussen gem puts Rays up 1-0 in ALDS, leaves Yankees looking for answers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Austin Wells stood at his locker in the visitors’ clubhouse at Tropicana Field, still in the uniform he stained while trying to avoid the inevitable at third base Saturday evening. He waited there until the cameras came, ready to atone for the decision that ended the Yankees' only scoring chance in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Rays – but this was not to be an exercise in self-flagellation.

Wells, whose double with two outs in the eighth inning broke up Rays’ starter Drew Rasmussen’s no-hitter, said he was “trying to make something happen” when he took off for third and was thrown out by a damning margin. Given many chances to say he made a mistake, Wells never did.

“In the moment, I was being aggressive,” Wells said. “Like I said, we didn’t really have much going on there in the game. So every 90 feet matters.”

Certainly, if Wells were on second, Boone could have pinch-hit for Ryan McMahon, and maybe the Yankees would have scored. Then again, Wells’ double was not exactly the latest in a long line of hard contact. And while his manager Aaron Boone called the play “a mistake,” he pointed blame for the Game 1 loss elsewhere.

“Just obviously not a good decision there,” Boone said. “… But biggest issue is just Rasmussen shutting us down.”

Boone is not one to bash players publicly, so it should be no surprise that he did not throw the Yankees’ Game 1 loss on Wells’ back. But he was by no means just deflecting when he pointed to Rasmussen as the main reason the Yankees trail this best-of-five series, 1-0.

For the second time in as many weeks – though with far greater stakes this time – Rasmussen carved through the Yankees lineup so effectively that he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Saturday, he took it into the eighth, pounding the strike zone with such effective stuff and command that even as Yankees hitters knew they would get pitches in the zone, they could not adjust to hit many of them well. They worked two walks, though none after the third, and struck out 10 times against him.

“I feel like he's got a lot of different ways to beat you. Starts with great command,” Boone said. “And when he has a presence on both sides of the plate and up and down, and you have to respect the four-seam on him, he was able to freeze us a lot on different sides of the plate, as well.”

Rasmussen generated 23 swings-and-misses, most in a postseason game by the swing-and-miss happy Rays since Statcast started tracking them. The 31-year-old had never generated more. Luis Garcia Jr. said it seemed like Rasmussen didn’t miss a single spot. Jazz Chisholm Jr. said the same thing, brushing off the idea that Wells’ play was decisive.

“If you’re watching him run the bases, you could see out of the box he was hustling like hell and just trying to get there to make something happen,” Chisholm said. “If they threw that ball away, you never know what happens. I feel like, just keep going. Pat him and say, ‘yeah. It happened. But who cares?’”

Wells, for his part, explained he did have good reason for defying the traditional baseball wisdom of not risking the final out of the inning at third base – so advised because generally, a base hit is needed to score with two outs and generally, a runner can score from second on a base hit just as easily as third.

But Wells said on the fast turf of Tropicana Field, which shoots the ball to outfielders more quickly than many surfaces, he felt he was not necessarily guaranteed to score on a base hit with two outs. From third base, he would.

“I thought I had a good chance to get there,” Wells said. “So can’t hang your head too much.”

The Yankees, too, have no immediate reason to sulk. They will throw Cam Schlittler in Game 2 against Freddy Peralta, a matchup that would seem to favor the Yankees, even though Peralta was the American League Pitcher of the Month after the Rays helped him rediscover his form in September.

The real problem they face, however, is that they now need to win three of the next four games – and will face Rasmussen again in one of them, potentially with their season on the line. The Rays have not lost a game Rasmussen started since July 9. That day, the Yankees scored six runs against him in 2.1 innings.

“I think we're due the next time,” Boone said. “We've done it before, and I know our guys are very confident. So the reality is, you know, you want to go deep in the playoffs, you've got to beat probably a great pitcher at some point. So we've got to find a way.”

Drew Rasmussen was so good Saturday night that he even exceeded the ridiculous playoff bar that Yankee arms have established for these playoffs. And it doubtless stings the Yanks that the Rays ace was able to silence their bats so thoroughly in Game 1 of the AL Division Series. 

But Gerrit Cole’s sharp stuff, another strong wave of pitching from the bullpen and the looming spectre of Cam Schlittler in Game 2 (and Game 5) are all evidence that this ALDS is far from over. Yes, even if the Yankees now have to win three times in four games with Rasmussen due for another start in this series.

“We got to get them tomorrow – well, Monday,” Cole told reporters at Tropicana Field afterward, looking ahead to Game 2. “It’s an opportunity to bounce back. We know they’re a tough opponent. Look, they’re going to land some blows and you’ve got to take blows in the postseason and dish them out, too.”

Cole delivered five solid innings, marred only by a terrific swing by the Rays’ No. 2 hitter, Jonathan Aranda. Aranda’s solo home run in the third inning was the game’s only run. Cole allowed five hits, struck out five and walked one and then Ryan Weathers (1.0 IP), Paul Blackburn (1.2 IP) and Brent Headrick (0.1 IP) combined for three scoreless frames of relief.

Rasmussen took a no-hitter into the eighth and got close enough to history that the game broadcast brought up Don Larsen and Roy Halladay. Cole wasn’t that electric. But he did put the Yankees in position to win.

“Gerrit’s had a really good year,” Aaron Boone said at the postgame podium. “I thought he threw the ball well. I thought they took some tough at-bats against him…Being a really tight game, it felt like it was leverage the whole game and he executed some really good pitches against some of their best hitters in the right spot.

“I thought he got us off to a good start. They made him work and then our bullpen picked it up from there. So I thought we did a really good job, obviously, on the mound, doing what we needed to do to give ourselves a chance to win.”

Yankee pitching has allowed three runs in 26 innings over three playoff games so far. That’s a 1.04 ERA. Opponents are batting .135 against Yankee pitchers, who have allowed only 12 hits.

Schlittler has certainly been the headliner and he will start Monday’s Game 2 at the Trop against Freddy Peralta, who Tampa Bay acquired from the Mets at the deadline. Schlittler overwhelmed the Red Sox for 6.1 shutout innings in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, a nifty follow-up to what was almost certainly a Cy Young regular season.

Should this series get to a deciding Game 5 in St. Petersburg, Fla., Schlittler would be on regular rest for the assignment.

“He’s been our guy all year,” catcher Austin Wells told reporters. “It was a great game, all around, for the pitchers (on Saturday). So I think we’re going to look forward to continuing that on our side and hopefully get to their guy.”

“It’s the playoffs,” Boone said. “Here we go. Every day’s important. Every win is an exhale and exciting, and the losses are gut punches. But you’ve got to just keep moving and know that you’re going to have some tough days, too.

“We’re obviously always thrilled when we hand the ball to Cam, and hopefully we can go out and put some points on the board to support him and come out of here with a split and head back home.”

We’ll see what Cole’s role will be the rest of the way. With Schlittler booked for two games, and Max Fried and Carlos Rodón pegged to start, in some order, Games 3 and 4, it’s probably in the bullpen or the next series, should the Yanks advance.

Aranda’s home run meant he suffered a hard-luck loss in Game 1. It came on a changeup that Cole wanted down and away. “It got to the edge, but it didn’t get down enough,” Cole told reporters at the Trop. “It’s a pretty steep price to pay. But he crushed it. That’s the way it goes.”

At the time, did Cole think one run could beat the Yanks? “No,” he replied.

As long as the Yanks keep holding opponents to one, this series should have some twists and turns coming. Even if Rasmussen has another start remaining. Even if the Rays have more quality arms beyond him.

“The reality is, if you want to go deep in the playoffs, you got to beat a great pitcher,” Boone said. “Hopefully, we get another crack at him and do better.”  

Following the Yankees' 1-0 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS, manager Aaron Boone and the players spoke on the game...

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What made Rasmussen unhittable?

Rays ace Drew Rasmussen had the start of a lifetime.

He pitched 7.2 no-hit innings against the Yankees before Austin Wells' double in the eighth broke it up, but the right-hander completely dominated New York, tossing eight shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out 10 batters.

Rasmussen broke several franchise postseason records in the process, and the Yankees could only tip their cap after the game.

"I thought he was really sharp. I thought his change-up was good for him and in play," Boone said. "Obviously, with our left-handed hitters, it looked like he had the cutter going when he needed to. Then the good four-seamer where he mixed in some sinkers off of it. His command is just really good and kind of what sets him apart. He's got a great arsenal. The ability to pitch on both sides of the plate and up and down obviously makes him challenging and one we've had a hard time solving."

"He just hit all his spots today. He was on," Jazz Chisholm Jr., who had one of the Yankees' two walks, said. "He wasn’t leaving anything [over the plate]. He wasn’t giving in. He wasn’t leaving it middle 3-2, he wasn’t scared to walk guys and get the next guy." 

"You just have to give him credit. All night, the pitches had really good effects," Luis Garcia Jr. said through an interpreter. "All eight innings, it felt like he never missed a pitch, location-wise and execution-wise. Sometimes you just have to give credit to the opposing pitcher." 

This isn't the first time Rasmussen dominated the Yankees. Back on Sept. 22 in the Bronx, Rasmussen allowed one run on one hit across 6.2 innings while striking out 11 batters. Aside from one start where New York picked up six runs in 2.1 innings off of him, Rasmussen's previous two starts this season against the Yankees saw the right-hander toss 13 shutout innings. 

"I feel like he's got a lot of different ways to beat you. Starts with great command," Boone said of Rasmussen's dominance. "And when he has a presence on both sides of the plate and up and down, and you have to respect the four-seam on him, he was able to freeze us a lot on different sides of the plate, as well. His mix was really strong. I thought he kind of used everything against us, and he cut us up again."

"When a guy's executing like that, the plan is to keep battling," Garcia said of Rasmussen taking a no-hitter into the eighth. "Maybe getting into long counts, long at-bats, but he kept executing pitches and attacking the zone. We tried to have long at-bats, but he was pretty sharp tonight."

With a best-of-five series, the Yankees will likely face Rasmussen one more time. But Boone isn't concerned with that, and is confident in his team to figure out the Rays' ace.  

"I think we're due the next time," he said. "We've done it before, and I know our guys are very confident. So the reality is, you know, you want to go deep in the playoffs, you've got to beat probably a great pitcher at some point. So we've got to find a way. Hopefully, we're in a position to get another crack at him and execute a little better."

Austin Wells, who got the Yankees' lone hit, acknowledged Rasmussen's past dominance against the team, but likes his team's chances.

"He’s pitched really well against us in his career," Wells said. "Every guy in this lineup likes our chances. He pitched incredible. Made pitches when he needed to. Got outs. Hard contacts, weak contacts, they are all outs. Hopefully, we’ll go out there and face him again in this series. You have to have as much confidence as possible. It was a 1-0 game. It was hard-fought."

Taking a shot with Stanton

Giancarlo Stanton has not swung a bat in a major league game since April. 

But in Game 1 of the ALDS, Boone saw an opportunity to utilize his slugger off the bench. That's why he was on the ALDS roster, after all. 

Down 1-0 in the ninth, Stanton pinch-hit for Ryan McMahon and took on Rays closer Bryan Baker. Stanton worked the count to 2-2 before the right-handed Baker threw a 96.3 mph fastball inside on Stanton for a foul-tip strikeout.

Stanton, despite being on the Wild Card Series roster, did not get an at-bat, in the two games. After the game, Boone was asked why he used Stanton in that moment.

"Just Baker's obviously had a great year. Really tough, really reverse guy," Boone explained. "So not that I was going to hit for a lot of my lefties there, but felt the threat of Giancarlo -- I thought he had a really good at-bat. I thought he was on all four pitches. I thought he was seeing the change-up well. I thought got a good swing off right out of the bat. I liked what I saw, like he was -- he took the right at-bat. He just didn't clip it. So, yeah, I mean, I'm going to take my shot with a hitter there and got [Jose Caballero] to run for him and we'll take our shot right there."

Stanton slashed .256/.302/.422 with an OPS of .724 to go along with three home runs across 24 regular season games this year before he went down with a calf strain.

The Yankees came into the ALDS riding high, having crushed their archrivals in the Wild Card Series, the lineup coming alive just in time. Unfortunately, just as quickly as they woke up, the bats fell asleep, no match for Rays ace Drew Rasmussen in a 1-0 shutout loss to Tampa Bay.

New York’s downfall started (and in a way ended) when Gerrit Cole gave up a solo home run in the third, the primary blemish in what was a five-inning outing with five hits and one earned run. Cole left a changeup up, and Jonathan Aranda sent a deep fly into the right-field seats:

Cole was replaced by Ryan Weathers, who made his return to the mound after a stint on the injured list with a left elbow injury, and didn’t allow the Rays’ offense to inflict any more damage. Paul Blackburn replaced Weathers in the bottom of the seventh and recorded one walk in 1.2 innings. Brent Headrick followed, who walked one batter before escaping with two runners on to end the eighth.

As for the Yankees offense, well, there isn’t much to speak of, as the lineup Boone sent out simply couldn’t make any headway against the Rays’ elite pitching staff. Rasmussen ended up pitching eight scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and two walks, completely shutting down the Yankees’ ambitions of getting ahead early in the series. Rasmussen kept the Yankees not just out of the run column, but blanked them in the hit column until the eighth, missing a no-hitter by just four outs as Austin Wells broke things up with a two-out double in the eighth.

Yet that moment also brought one of the most notable errors in the Yankees’ decision-making, with Wells attempting to stretch his double into a triple. His speed wasn’t enough to get him to third, and the Yankees’ catcher got thrown out to end the inning. Victor Mesa made the throw to shortstop Taylor Walls, who immediately tagged Wells as he went for the slide. An aerial view showed that third base coach Luis Rojas was trying to hold Wells up, so it really was just Wells inexplicably attempting to get to third base with two outs:

Luis Rojas was holding up Austin Wells the entire time. A terrible decision Wells will have to live with forever https://t.co/7VbQyM2878pic.twitter.com/fK1P49V4v6

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 4, 2026

It’s worth noting that Giancarlo Stanton made his first appearance at the plate since April, pinch-hitting for Ryan McMahon, and sadly struck out in four pitches from Rays reliever Bryan Baker as the Yankees’ attempt at a ninth-inning rally went nowhere fast, Baker also striking out Ben Rice and getting Cody Bellinger to ground out to end the game.

Though the Yankees may be on the road and striving for a victory in Game 2, it remains to be seen whether Boone will change the lineup and experiment with other position players to shuffle the order. There wasn’t much to smile about today, with the small exceptions of Stanton’s cameo appearance, and the solid showing from Weathers after a layoff. Sunday will give the Yankees another day of rest to regroup. Hopefully, we’ll see a different result come Monday.

Box Score

LOS ANGELES — It was as if six months of torment, six months of pent-up frustration, and six months of trying to prove himself to a new organization and fanbase, came pouring out of his soul Saturday afternoon with one swing of the bat.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker, or commonly known in Los Angeles as a $60-million-a year bust, swung mightily, stood at the plate, and watched the ball sail high and deep into the Dodgers bullpen, before taking off on a home-run trot as the paid crowd of 50,194 at Dodger Stadium screamed in ecstasy.

When Tucker strolled around the bases, he threw his hands up in the air between first and second, and when he rounded third, broke into a grin that could be seen all the way to Pasadena. His teammates pounded the dugout in euphoria, and when he came towards the dugout, vigorously high-fived teammate Teoscar Hernandez, and received a sunflower seed shower and bear hug from Mookie Betts that was so tight he nearly lost his breath.

“I think I was more excited than him," said Hernandez, who singled ahead of Tucker in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over Atlanta in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. “We've been going through a lot this year, but we stayed together. We have each other's back."

The Dodgers will tell you it didn’t really matter who was their offensive hero, but to a man, they couldn’t have been happier that it was Tucker.

“We were all excited for him," infielder Miguel Rojas said. “Tucker is a superstar, man. He’s a great hitter, a great player, he knows when to turn it on. …There’s no doubt in my mind that he was going to come through in the biggest stage of our season.

“Even if he doesn’t, I really don’t care. He shouldn’t have the weight of the team on his shoulder that he has to carry this team. Just do your job, go out, and enjoy your season.’’

Well, his debut season with the Dodgers just became a whole lot more enjoyable, with his two-run home run not only providing Tarik Skubal all of the support he needed after giving up just two hits and one run in six innings, but it was sweet redemption for Tucker.

“I mean, I was excited," he said, surrounded by a horde of reporters at his locker. “Anytime you can contribute to a win, whether it’s early in the game, late in the game, is huge. So I just try to do my part. Same thing with everyone else in this clubhouse. No one’s going out there putting up selfish at-bats or anything. It doesn’t really matter how you do statistically as long as you’re coming away with a win.

“Everyone’s just trying to help each other get to the end goal of winning a World Series, so it’s a nice start today with the win."

Tucker didn’t come close to living up to his four-year, $240 million contract during the regular  season for the Dodgers, hitting just .233 with 17 homers, 70 RBIs, and a .330 on-base percentage and .385 slugging percentage. It was his worst season since 2020. It’s hardly what the Dodgers envisioned for a guy who averaged 27 home runs and 21 stolen bases in his previous five seasons.

He was often booed for his performance. Not Philadelphia or New York-style booing, but for West Coast fans, it was still real. The dude hit just .196 at home, and managed a mere five home runs in 78 game at Dodger Stadium.

If he were playing with the Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees or Toronto Blue Jays, he might have been run out of town.

Yet, this is laid-back Los Angeles, and besides, they were winning. The Dodgers still won 100 games despite his performance, always fully supporting him, and saying that what really will be remembered is what happens in October.

Well, October hit, and Tucker crushed it, going 2-for-4 with his homer and a stolen base.

It’s a whole new season, and Tucker looked like the star they envisioned when they signed him to the stunning contact.

“Our fans, they really remember what you do in the postseason," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “So this is certainly a way to change the story for a season in 2026.”

Get Dodgers vs Braves NLDS tickets

Really, Tucker began changing the script, along with Hernandez, in September. He hit six homers with 13 RBIs the final month with a .890 OPS. He was getting hot, just when the Dodgers needed him the most.

“I think that we all know, it’s been well talked about, the struggles he had this year,” Roberts said. “I give him a lot of credit for grinding through it, not running from it, always posting and kind of getting to the other side of it.”

Certainly, Tucker isn’t afraid of playoff pressure. He has played in the postseason every year of his career for a total of 72 postseason games. He led the Houston Astros to three World Series appearances, and caught the final out in the 2022 World Series for their championship. He became the second player in MLB history to post eight extra-base hits, five steals and 15 RBIs in a single postseason in 2021.

He not only expects to be in the postseason every year, but expects to win it all.

“I know the expectations are high here,’’ Tucker said, “but every year I’ve played, there are expectations of winning the World Series. Regardless of the team or the situation, you show up every day in spring training, trying to win the World Series. I don’t know why you keep playing unless you’re trying to win.

“I just want to win."

If the Dodgers win it all, and Tucker performs, no one in the world is going to care what he did in the summer months in LA, just like Hernandez who had his worst season since 2019.

“For me, whatever's in the past is in the past," Hernandez said. “There's nothing I can do of the things that I cannot get it done in the past. … For me, it's not about anymore the regular season. It's not about the September that I have. It's about what can I do in an at-bat, pitch by pitch, to help this team win ten more games this year."

It’s the same mantra Tucker plans to follow, knowing that if he has a huge October, no one is going to remember April-September.

“I mean, I’d like to stay hot throughout the entire year," Tucker said, “but, you know, baseball. You play a lot of games. There’s a lot of ups and downs, so you’re just trying to do your best at navigating that and just try to come out with wins regardless of the situation.

“You’ve got to have a short memory in this game."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Tucker was called a $240 million bust. Now he's the key to a Dodgers three-peat.

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LOS ANGELES – Tarik Skubal walked off the mound after drawing a flyout from Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson to get out of the sixth inning and looked over at Blake Snell once he got in the dugout.

"Has it been this hot all game?" Skubal asked.

"It's amazing what your brain can do," Skubal added as he reflected on a scorching 103-degree day at Dodger Stadium. "In certain circumstances and moments, it's amazing what you can control and kind of eliminate. I actually didn't think it was horrible when I was pitching, ... but yeah, it was a hot one."

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made no secret of his preference to play at night when asked about it earlier in the week, but once the San Diego Padres swept the Chicago Cubs in the wild card series on Wednesday, the Dodgers were boxed into a 1 p.m. local start time amid a heat wave fueled by El Niño. It was 100 degrees Fahrenheit when Skubal threw his first pitch Saturday and the temperature continued to rise from there in an eventual 5-3 win that gave the Dodgers a 1-0 series lead in the NLDS.

It was the Dodgers' hottest postseason game on record since Game 1 of the 2017 World Series.

But as Roberts looked back on that day nine years ago, he emphasized that there's nothing anyone can truly do about the weather except to stay hydrated. The Braves felt prepared, with Lane Thomas and manager Walt Weiss noting pregame it actually felt a little cooler than summers in Atlanta due to the humidity.

Teoscar Hernández got the Dodgers on the board with a towering 431-foot, two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth that set the tone offensively for LA; he echoed the sentiment.

"I don't think we were too concerned about the heat or anything like that," Hernández said in Spanish. "We were focused on doing what we needed to do to win, try and win the game."

This wasn't the hottest game Skubal has ever played in; growing up in Kingman, Arizona, he claimed he played in a little league game in Lake Havasu that was 127 degrees.

"A little bit different game," he said. "... But yeah, it's up there with as hot a baseball game as you can play in."

And though the sun beating down over Chavez Ravine wasn't something Skubal was fully cognizant of throughout the 94 pitches he threw in six innings, with seven strikeouts and just one run allowed, the two-time Cy Young winner knew the best thing he could do was be efficient.

After giving up a leadoff single to Braves DH Drake Baldwin, Skubal retired the next 15 batters he faced in a row until Sean Murphy took him deep to left center field for a solo shot to open up the top of the sixth.

"That always helps you maintain a little bit of stamina," Skubal said. "It's hot, no denying that. But every team's playing in the same conditions we are, so it doesn't really matter. It shouldn't really impact how you are mentally. ... Just go out there and play baseball and try to drink water. That's really it."

Tarik Skubal has retired 15 straight 😤 pic.twitter.com/ex155blukX

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 3, 2026

Skubal has mentioned before that he likes to save his bigger pitches for the ends of his outings to empty the tank, but his hardest pitch of Game 1 on Saturday was a 101.1 mph fastball in the second inning. It could've been the postseason making his "juices flow differently," or the fact that he was simply in a good count that called for it. Or the excitement of the Dodger Stadium crowd on their feet as he sensed the end of an inning closing in.

But Skubal jokingly offered another theory.

"I think I was just trying to match the temperature out there."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Tarik Skubal, Dodgers handled scorching heat and hot Braves bats in NLDS opener