Top 5 most iconic Rays-Yankees matchups

The Rays and Yankees' rivalry has grown each year since we changed our name back in 2008. From the playoff drama to benches-clearing skirmishes, these teams will admit that they're not necessarily fond of each other. In this article, we're going to highlight the top 5 games between the Rays and the Yankees.

1. Game 5 of the 2020 ALDS

Two words: Mike Brosseau!! We can all agree that 2020 was a strange and unfortunate year, but this series was nothing short of spectacular and it rekindled a rivalry between these teams that started to spark throughout that shortened season. To give some context, the Rays finished the year 8-2 against their AL East foe, but it didn't come without a little drama.

Earlier in the campaign, Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph at Brosseau's head which caused some intensity between the two clubs. You can decide whether you thought it was intentional or not, but we can't deny that it certainly made for a storybook ending when the right-handed third baseman faced Chapman again in game 5 of the ALDS. With the game tied 1-1 in the 8th inning, Brosseau homered off of a 3-2 fastball to seal the deal for the Rays and send them to the ALCS. You could see Chapman stare off into the empty stands smiling as he knew that history was made and Mike Brosseau had beaten him fairly. How can you not be romantic about baseball??

2. 2011 Game 162

The only reason this game is not number one on this list is because of the stakes involved in the 2020 ALDS game which would eventually lead to our second World Series appearance in franchise history.

Nevertheless, goosebumps pop up on every Rays' fans' arms when you speak those incredible words - Game 162. Going into the last game of the 2011 season, the Rays and Red Sox were tied with a 90-71 record. Game 162 was going to determine who would make the playoffs as the last wild card team. The Rays were set to face off against the 97-64 Yankees, while Boston had the lowly 68-93 Orioles on the schedule.

The Yankees jumped out in front of the Rays right away as they held a 7-0 lead going into the 8th inning. All of a sudden, the Rays' bats came to life as they rallied for 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th highlighted by Evan Longoria's 3-run homer.

Then, down to their last strike in the bottom of the 9th, heroic Dan Johnson lines a home run down the right field line to knot the game up at seven a piece. The score would remain tied until the 12th inning when Longoria lined his 31st HR of the season just over the short wall in left field to send the fans home happy.

Meanwhile in Baltimore, the Orioles pulled off an unlikely defeat of the Red Sox to seal the Rays' ticket to the postseason. You couldn't write a script more dramatic and breathtaking than this one!

3. Travis d'Arnaud's 3-HR game at Yankee Stadium

2019 was d'Arnaud's only season as a member of the Rays, but he made the most of his time as he hit .263 with 16 HRs in 92 games. Arguably, his most memorable game came in Yankee Stadium on June 15th.

The talented catcher quite literally put the team on his back as he produced all five Rays' runs via the home run ball. Starting in the leadoff spot, Travis d'Arnaud hit two solo shots, one in the 1st and one in the 3rd inning, to give the Rays an early 2-0 lead. They would eventually lose the lead and trail 4-2 going into the last frame of the game. With two outs and a 3-2 count in the bottom of the 9th, d'Arnaud hit a 3-run home run to right field off of Aroldis Chapman to give the Rays the lead. Tampa Bay would go on to win the close affair by a score of 5-4.

4. 2012 Opening Day

"And there's a drive, high and deep to right! Welcome back Carlos Pena!" This was perhaps one of the greatest calls in Dewayne Staat's long career. The Rays' Silver Slugger had just hit a grand slam off of prolific starter, CC Sabathia to lead off the 2012 season. Coming off of the improbable 2011 campaign, Rays' fans were on cloud nine.

Regardless, the Yankees would end up coming back to make this game interesting. The Rays would still prevail as Pena hit a walk-off single off the wall in left center. They would go on to win 90 games in 2012, but fall three games short of the postseason.

5. Jake Bauers' 2018 walk-off home run

Jake Bauers debuted with the Rays in 2018 and we got to see a young and electric power hitter in the making. Bauers would complete his rookie season with a .201 AVG and 11 HRs, but no homer was greater than one that won it for the Rays on June 24th.

The Rays broke out to an early lead in the 1st following three straight extra base hits from Kiermaier, Duffy, and Gomez. The game would go back and forth after that until it was leveled at a 6-6 score in the 8th.

Jake Bauers stepped up to the plate with the contest still tied up in the 12th inning. The young lefty deposited the first pitch 420 feet away in dead center. That would be his 2nd of 51 career HRs and it was a huge one as it gave the Rays a much needed victory over their rivals.