Rays Get Blown Out by Yankees One Night After Clinching AL East

The celebration may have gone a little too long, as the Tampa Bay Rays fell to the New York Yankees 9-2 on Wednesday, the day after clinching the American League East. 

With a different pitching plan and new lineup, the Rays struggled early in the contest and could not claw their way back out against their division foe. 

Here's what you need to know from the contest. 

Kevin Cash gave the Rays starting pitchers a day off on Wednesday and went with reliever Mason Englert instead. And that decision wasn't the best one in terms of winning a baseball game. 

But it was for saving the rotation and some of the team's top-end bullpen arms. 

Englert allowed 8 of the 9 runs from the Yankees on Wednesday night, including 4 home runs, in just 3.2 innings pitched. He allowed two home runs to Ben Rice, who hit his 41st home run of the season and is now tied with Junior Caminero for the best in the American League. 

Kevin Cash went with four relievers following the rough start and mostly was clean after that. Only Cole Sulser allowed an earned run in the bottom of the 8th inning. 

Despite the score, the pitching effort mainly pointed to one issue in Englert. The Rays' reliever was not expected to make the playoff roster, by the way, and is likely seen as a throwaway game for Tampa Bay, something they can afford since they clinched the best record in the American League. 

It certainly felt like the Rays' batting order was not completely up to speed on Wednesday, following Tuesday night's celebrations of winning the division title. The team struck out nine times and only recorded six hits in the contest. 

Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole picked up his 10th win of the season and went an impressive 105 pitches across 5.2 innings of work. He struck out 8 Tampa Bay batters and did allow 1 home run in the bottom of the 5th inning to Cedric Mullins, his 15th of the season. 

Despite the loss, there were still a few bright spots for Tampa Bay's hitting, including Jonny Deluca, who went 3 for 4 with an RBI, and Liam Hicks, who recorded two walks against Gerrit Cole, who has had a very low walk rate this season across his 120+ innings pitched. 

The team has four more games left in the regular season before preparing for the playoffs. The team will remain at Yankee Stadium for a series finale on Thursday, as Ian Seymour is set to get the start. They will then go to their final weekend series of the year at Citizens Bank Park against the Philadelphia Phillies. 

First pitch for Thursday night is scheduled for 7:05 pm Eastern.