Playing in baseball's toughest division, the Rays (96-61) clinched the crown with a strong pitching performance from Drew Rasmussen, who allowed only one hit in 6 2/3 innings, while Yandy Diaz contributed with two two-run singles. The victory extends Tampa Bay's lead over the second-place Yankees to six games with five remaining, securing the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the American League playoffs. sweetbonanza-app.com
The Rays, who have led the division since June 27 and spent 128 days in first place, are now two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the majors. This marks their first AL East title since 2021, with previous crowns coming in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, 2010, and 2008 when they reached the World Series.
