The Tampa Bay Rays make the trip to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, for a 1:05 PM ET first pitch against the New York Yankees. Nick Martinez gets the start for Tampa Bay, squaring off against left-hander Carlos Rodón on the New York side. With the regular season winding toward its final days, every game in a division matchup like this carries real weight — road wins in the Bronx are hard to come by, and the Rays will need a focused, complete effort to grab one.

Pitching Matchup: Nick Martinez vs. Carlos Rodón

Martinez draws a tough assignment. Yankee Stadium is no place for a pitcher to experiment, and Rodón gives New York a capable arm at the top of their rotation. Martinez will need to keep the ball down in the zone and limit the big inning — a lineup with this kind of construction can do serious damage if he falls behind counts and starts leaving pitches elevated. His ability to work efficiently through the middle innings will be the Rays' best path to keeping this game competitive deep.

Rodón presents real challenges from the left side. Tampa Bay will need disciplined at-bats and a willingness to work the count. Getting Rodón into the fifth and sixth innings with his pitch count climbing is the blueprint — let the game come to the bullpen and see what the Yankees have in reserve.

Yankees Lineup to Watch

New York is sending out a lineup that has some familiar names mixed with newer faces. Cody Bellinger hits second and provides pop from the left side. Heliot Ramos slots in at right field batting third. Luis García Jr. holds down the cleanup spot at first base. Keep an eye on Anthony Volpe, hitting seventh at second base — he has the profile to do damage even in the lower third of the order. José Caballero, a name Rays fans will recognize from his time in Tampa Bay, rounds out the lineup at third base batting ninth for New York.

Keys to the Game for Tampa Bay

• Martinez must limit walks and avoid the big inning against a lineup with legitimate power threats throughout the order.
• The Rays need to be patient against Rodón, work counts, and find ways to get on base ahead of their power hitters.
• Tampa Bay's bullpen management will be critical — the staff needs to bridge to the backend without burning too many arms in a one-run situation early.
• Road discipline matters: winning in Yankee Stadium requires the Rays to stay composed when the crowd gets into it.

Prediction

This is a tough spot for Tampa Bay. Road games against an established starter in a division matchup late in the regular season demand near-flawless execution. Martinez is capable of a quality start, but the Yankees' lineup has enough variety — speed, contact, and power — to put pressure on him from the opening inning. Rays 4, Yankees 6. New York edges this one at home, but it should be a game worth watching until the final out.

Catch the game on Rays.TV or listen locally on WDAE 95.7 FM. First pitch is set for 1:05 PM ET.