TAMPA BAY — Drew Rasmussen opened Tampa Bay's postseason with dominance, firing eight scoreless innings of one-hit ball with 10 strikeouts to lift the Rays to a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. The right-hander did not allow a hit until two outs in the eighth inning, coming within four outs of history.
Rasmussen became the seventh pitcher in postseason history to carry a no-hit bid at least 7 2/3 innings. Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter in 2010 NLDS Game 1 and Don Larsen threw a perfect game in 1956 World Series Game 5, while Bill Bevens went 8 2/3 innings in 1947 World Series Game 4. The others to reach 7 2/3 innings like Rasmussen were Anibal Sánchez in 2019 NLCS Game 1, Jim Lonborg in 1967 World Series Game 2 and Red Ruffing in 1942 World Series Game 1.
The swing-and-miss stuff was historic for Tampa Bay. Rasmussen induced 23 swings and misses, the most in any game of his career in the regular season or playoffs. That total is tied for the most by a Tampa Bay pitcher since the start of 2024, including playoffs, with Ryan Pepiot on Sept. 18, 2024, and is five more than any Rays pitcher has generated in a postseason game in franchise history. His 10 strikeouts tied Tyler Glasnow in Game 2 of the 2020 ALDS — also against the Yankees — for the most in a postseason game in Rays history.
Rasmussen also joined elite company with at least 10 strikeouts and one or no hits allowed in a scoreless postseason outing, becoming the eighth pitcher to do so. He joined Blake Snell in 2025 NLCS Game 1, Trey Yesavage in 2025 ALDS Game 2, Max Scherzer in 2019 NLCS Game 2, Sánchez in 2013 ALCS Game 1, Roger Clemens in 2000 ALCS Game 4, Mike Mussina in 1997 ALCS Game 6 and Moe Drabowsky in 1966 World Series Game 1. Along with closer Bryan Baker, Tampa Bay held New York to one hit, the fewest hits the Yankees have recorded in any postseason game in franchise history in what was their 447th postseason game, 137 more than any other franchise.