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Tampa Bay Rays clinch AL East title amid Yankees injury concerns
The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched their fifth American League East division title, securing the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage for the American League playoffs. The clinching victory came in the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, where the Rays defeated the New York Yankees 6-1. Pitcher Drew Rasmussen led the effort, allowing only one hit over 6 2/3 innings.
The Yankees' postseason outlook is complicated by the injury status of captain Aaron Judge. Judge is currently dealing with a moderate grade calf strain that has limited his recent activity. Manager Aaron Boone indicated that the team is planning for the Wild Card Series without him, though a late recovery remains a possibility.
In contrast, the Yankees saw standout performances from Ben Rice, who hit his 41st home run of the season, and Carlos Rodón, who pitched eight shutout innings in the doubleheader's opening game to earn his 100th career victory. Despite these individual successes, the Yankees remain five games behind the Rays in the division standings.
Entities
Aaron Boone · Aaron Judge · Ben Rice · Carlos Rodón · Cody Bellinger · Drew Rasmussen · Gerrit Cole · New York Yankees · Tampa Bay Rays · Yandy Díaz · Yankee Stadium