The New York Yankees must crack the code of this unassuming arch nemesis in Game 1 of the ALDS.
The New York Yankees will be facing the Tampa Bay Rays in the Division Series in a battle of the American League's two top teams, and it should be a doozy.
Game 1 is set for Saturday, and while the Yankees will probably be sending Gerrit Cole to the mound for the opener, we already know who will be taking the bump for the Rays: Drew Rasmussen.
It's hard to find a quieter Yankee killer in all of baseball than Rasmussen.
The right-hander made four starts against New York this season, logging a 2.86 ERA and 0.818 WHIP during those outings. The Yankees batted just .182 off of Rasmussen, and he racked up 26 strikeouts as opposed to just four walks.
Yes, New York did get to him on July 9, shelling him for six runs on seven hits in just 2.1 innings for a 12-4 win, but that was a rare moment.
Historically, Rasmussen has dominated the Bronx Bombers, owning a 1.81 ERA and 0.855 WHIP against the Yankees in 11 outings. New York lays claim to a paltry .474 OPS against the 30-year-old, and he boasts a 5.38 K/BB ratio in those matchups.
Talk about a scary Game 1 opponent for the Yanks.
But the Yankees surely knew that if they were going to get to the World Series, they would likely have to get through the Rays, so they should welcome this challenge with open arms.
It's not just that Rasmussen deals against New York, either. He's good against everyone and has long been one of the most underrated pitchers in all of baseball. If he played in a larger market, he would surely be more touted.
Based on the way the Yankees just hit against the Boston Red Sox, though, scoring 18 runs in two games, perhaps they are turning into a buzzsaw at just the right time.
Of course, Aaron Judge's status remains up in the air for the ALDS, and early indications are that he probably won't be available. At least not early in the series. Maybe New York will just put him on the roster and see what happens, but he doesn't appear close to a return.
Giancarlo Stanton could be another X-factor. He was on the Wild Card roster, but didn't get an at-bat largely because the Yanks didn't need him. Aaron Boone was clearly trying to stay away from him, but he should be that much healthier versus the Rays.
Fortunately for the Yankees, this isn't a best two out of three. This is a best-of-5 series, meaning that even a Game 1 loss in Tampa wouldn't be the end of the world.
However, if New York is able to conquer its unassuming arch nemesis in Rasmussen right out of the gate, it could be curtains for the Rays sooner than you think.
