Down 2-0 to Rays in ALDS, Yankees face prospect of 17th season without World Series title

Max Fried's sharp pitches were evident in the Yankees' 2-0 defeat to the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Division Series. The loss leaves the Yankees, the most successful team in baseball history, facing a potential 17th season without a World Series title. The best-of-five series resumes Wednesday night in the Bronx, with Fried pitching for the Yankees and Nick Martinez for the Rays.

This is the second consecutive year the Yankees have fallen behind 2-0 in a postseason series, last happening in 2020. The team's errors in the first two games could be a pattern, as all four starting infielders made mistakes leading to unearned runs. Tampa Bay, seeking their first World Series title, is near a comeback to the American League Championship Series against the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland.

The Rays have had a highly offensive season, ranking second in on-base percentage, while New York has struggled, ranking 24th in runs and 29th in batting average since June.