The New York Yankees simply couldn’t hit the ball on Saturday night in their Game 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen took a no-hitter deep into the eighth inning before Yankees catcher Austin Wells broke it up with a double.
However, Wells attempted to turn that double into a triple and was thrown out.
New York ultimately lost the game 1-0, and following the loss, MLB legend and MLB on FOX analyst Alex Rodriguez had strong comments about New York moving forward.
Rodriguez Doesn’t Hold Back Thoughts on Yankees Loss
Rodriguez called out New York’s poor baserunning throughout the season and said the mistakes are “not a surprise” when they aren’t playing clean baseball during the regular season.
“The Wells mistake. Is that the reason that they lost? Probably not. But when you look at the first six months, it’s a dress rehearsal for October. The Yankees are bottom 10 when it comes to baserunners,” Rodriguez said.
“We saw, I believe in May, when Jazz got doubled up at first with a simple fly ball. If you’re not accountable April through September, these mistakes are not a surprise.”
“Game 2 is a must-win game.”
Our crew reacts to how things stand for the Yankees after their 1-0 loss to the Rays in ALDS Game 1.
@AROD | @DavidOrtiz | @DerekJeter https://t.co/Ecz90Xadhr
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 4, 2026
Derek Jeter Calls Game 2 a ‘Must Win’
Another Yankees legend, Derek Jeter, labeled the upcoming Game 2 matchup a “must win” with Cam Schlittler on the mound.
“It’s a must win. It is a must win,” Jeter said. “That’s the approach you have to have. You have Schlittler on the mound. You must win that game. Look, Tampa has been the best team in the American League all year. They are tough to beat in that stadium.”
Alex Rodriguez Doesn’t Hold Back After Yankees’ Game 1 Loss to Rays