The Tampa Bay Rays are on the brink of clinching a spot in the AL Championship Series as they face the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the 2026 AL Division Series at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. The Rays, having narrowly defeated the Yankees 1-0 in Game 1 and secured a 5-2 win in Game 2, hope to complete a sweep against their AL East rivals.

Key Highlights:

• The Rays previously overcame the Yankees in the 2020 AL Division Series, but this time aim for a smoother path.
• Tampa Bay holds a 7-6 regular season record against New York, though they struggled at Yankee Stadium, losing four of six games there.
• In Game 1, Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen nearly achieved a no-hitter, allowing just one hit before the Yankees’ Austin Wells was thrown out attempting to stretch a double into a triple.
• New York's offense has faltered, managing only five hits in the series, with Ben Rice providing two solo home runs.

Pitching Matchups:

• Nick Martinez leads the Rays, boasting a 3.10 ERA and a career-high 15 wins this season, including strong performances at Yankee Stadium.
• The Yankees counter with Max Fried, who looks to rebound after a shaky outing against the Rays in earlier matchups.

In addition to the ALDS action, the NHL features three games, including the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Washington Capitals at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Penguins are coming off a loss, while the Capitals aim to capitalize on their home opener after splitting their first two games.

Betting Insights:

• The Yankees are currently favored at -170, while the Dodgers and Padres also face off in critical playoff games this evening.