Yankees vs Rays Live: Start Time, Lineups & Streaming Info for High-Stakes AL East Clash

October baseball returns to St. Petersburg tonight as the New York Yankees visit the Tampa Bay Rays for ALDS Game 1 at Tropicana Field, first pitch 6:30 p.m. ET. Ace Gerrit Cole (17-8, 3.06 ERA) gets the ball for New York against two-time All-Star Drew Rasmussen (15-7, 2.67 ERA), setting up a heavyweight pitching duel that headlines a series many analysts circled back in April. The Yankees finished the regular season 93-68, while Tampa Bay rode a 98-64 mark—and a league-best 53-28 home record—to secure the division crown. Key storylines to watch • Roster decisions: Tampa Bay opted for a 14-position-player, 12-pitcher mix, welcoming back setup men Tyler Wells and Garrett Cleavinger from the injured list and sticking with five starters for flexible bullpen coverage. New York countered with a traditional 13-pitcher setup highlighted by the flame-throwing trio of Clay Holmes, Ron Marinaccio and Jhoan Durán. • Power vs precision: The Yankees led the AL with 237 homers, but the Rays’ pitching staff allowed the fewest long balls in baseball. Watch how Cole navigates left-handed bats Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero, while Rasmussen faces the Bronx Bombers’ right-handed thunder from Anthony Volpe and Juan Soto. • Speed on the bases: Tampa Bay swiped 159 bags—second only to Kansas City—thanks to Chandler Simpson and Cedric Mullins. New York ranked 12th. If the games tighten late, Rays manager Kevin Cash may turn loose the running game against catcher Austin Wells’ 17 percent caught-stealing rate. How to watch and stream • TV: TBS nationwide • Streaming: HBO Max, truTV and authenticated TBS apps • Radio: WFAN 660 AM (Yankees), WDAE 620 AM (Rays) Projected Game 1 lineups Yankees 1. Juan Soto RF 2. Gleyber Torres 2B 3. Aaron Judge CF 4. Giancarlo Stanton DH 5. Anthony Volpe SS 6. Jasson Domínguez LF 7. Austin Wells C 8. DJ LeMahieu 1B 9. Oswaldo Cabrera 3B Rays 1. Yandy Díaz DH 2. Cedric Mullins CF 3. Junior Caminero 3B 4. Jonathan Aranda 1B 5. Richie Palacios LF 6. Jorge Mateo SS 7. Taylor Walls 2B 8. Nick Fortes C 9. Chandler Simpson RF Search interest in “Yankees vs Rays” has surged this week as fans look for tickets, live-stream options and matchup analysis. Bookmark this page for live updates throughout the series, including pitching changes, injury news and postgame quotes. With two evenly matched rivals and star power on both sides, this ALDS has the makings of a classic—one that could swing on a single pitch beneath the Trop’s catwalks tonight.