Carlos Rodón was simply untouchable. The left-hander threw eight innings of three-hit, zero-walk baseball against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, striking out eight and setting the tone for a 2-0 New York Yankees win at Yankee Stadium. Cody Bellinger supplied all the offense New York needed with a two-run home run. The Rays, held to three hits all night, couldn't solve Rodón and dropped a clean division game they never really had a foothold in.

Carlos Rodón Shuts Down Tampa Bay Lineup for Eight Innings

There is no softening this one: Rodón was dominant. Eight innings, three hits, eight strikeouts, zero walks, zero earned runs. That is about as complete a pitching performance as you will see in a regular season division game. The Rays managed nothing against him offensively. Rodón simply attacked the zone and won nearly every meaningful at-bat.

David Bednar came on to close the ninth and completed the shutout with a clean inning, setting down the side without a hit or a walk to seal it for New York.

Cody Bellinger Home Run Provides All the Offense Yankees Needed

Bellinger did the damage with one swing. His two-run home run — 1-for-4 on the night — accounted for both Yankees runs and proved to be more than enough given what Rodón was doing on the mound. Two RBIs, two runs, one swing. That was New York's entire offensive production, and it was sufficient.

Nick Martinez Pitched Well Enough to Win, But the Rays Couldn't Score

Credit Nick Martinez where it is due: six innings, seven strikeouts, five hits, one walk, two earned runs. On most nights, that is a quality start that gives your team a chance. On Tuesday, it was the loss. Martinez allowed the Bellinger homer — the only real damage he absorbed — but the Rays offense gave him absolutely nothing to work with.

Ty Johnson was sharp in relief, throwing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no hits or walks allowed. Johnson's performance kept the deficit from expanding, but the Rays were never able to answer Bellinger's blast at the plate.

Turning Point: Bellinger's Two-Run Shot Ends the Conversation Early

Once Bellinger connected for the two-run homer off Martinez, the Rays needed to generate something against a left-hander who was clearly locked in. They never did. Rodón's command was too sharp and the Tampa Bay bats couldn't string anything together. Nothing that followed changed the outcome.

Key Numbers from Tuesday Night

  • Carlos Rodón (W): 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 8 K, 0 ER
  • David Bednar (SV): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 ER
  • Nick Martinez (L): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 7 K, 2 ER
  • Ty Johnson: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 ER
  • Cody Bellinger: 1-for-4, one home run, two RBIs
  • Rays offense: 0 runs scored

What's Next for the Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays stay on the road and will need to find answers against the Yankees in this division matchup. Getting shut out without managing a single extra-base hit or a runner in scoring position is a performance that needs an honest accounting. Tuesday belonged to Rodón and Bellinger. The Rays will have to be sharper at the plate if they want to change the outcome in New York.