Drew Rasmussen came THIS close to etching his name in postseason history Saturday night, flirting with a no-hitter in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. He settled for dominating the New York Yankees, allowing just one hit and two walks over eight incredible innings as the Rays snagged the series opener. It was a performance that had everyone on the edge of their seats, watching a pitcher absolutely shut down a lineup in an elimination series.
That One Double Was All That Stood Between Rasmussen and History
Rasmussen was absolutely lights out, striking out 10 Yankees batters over his eight frames. He was cruising, dealing with only two walks from designated hitter Ben Rice and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm even swiped second base after his walk in the second inning, but center fielder Trent Grisham struck out to shut that down. The tension was building with every out, every pitch. Then, in the eighth inning, with Rasmussen still on the mound and history within reach, Yankees catcher Austin Wells ripped a line drive down the right-field line. It was the only hit Rasmussen gave up, a double that immediately ended any no-hit bid. Wells tried to stretch it into a triple but got thrown out at third base, an anticlimactic end to the inning, but the hit was the real story there.
Only three no-hitters have ever happened in MLB postseason history. The most recent was in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series when the Astros’ Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly combined to no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies. Before that, Roy Halladay of the Phillies threw one in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS, and the legendary Don Larsen for the Yankees had one in Game 5 of the World Series. Rasmussen almost joined that ridiculously exclusive club all by himself.
The Rays Needed Just One Swing to Take Game 1
On the offensive side for the Rays, all they needed was one big swing from first baseman Jonathan Aranda. He blasted a home run in the fourth inning, and with Rasmussen dealing the way he was, that single run was more than enough to put the Rays up 1-0 in this best-of-five series. It really showed how important every single run can be when your pitching is on another level. The Yankees, meanwhile, had swept the Red Sox in a best-of-three series earlier this week on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the Rays had been off since Sunday. That rest clearly did Rasmussen some good.
Game 2 is set for Monday night, shifting back to Tampa Bay. The Yankees are sending their AL Cy Young favorite, Cam Schiltter, to the mound. The Rays, however, haven’t announced who they’ll be starting yet. You gotta wonder if they’re still basking in that Game 1 glow and planning a surprise. This series is already shaping up to be a real battle, and with Schiltter pitching, Game 2 is gonna be a must-watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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