New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Match Player Stats (12th April, 2026)
Tampa Bay Rays Survive a Heart-Stopping Ninth to Edge the Yankees 5-4 at Tropicana Field
Sunday night baseball at Tropicana Field had all the signs of a clean Rays win — right up until it suddenly didn’t. Aaron Judge stepped in during the top of the ninth with two runners on base, and his towering two-run blast turned a five-run lead into a one-run game in what felt like a heartbeat. The New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays match on April 12, 2026, delivered exactly the kind of finish that makes late-night baseball worth staying up for.
Tampa Bay built this win in stages — scoring in the first, second, seventh, and eighth innings — while Drew Rasmussen was simply untouchable for six frames, holding the Yankees to a single hit with seven strikeouts. The New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays match player stats reveal the full story: the Rays spread the offensive load across six different hitters, complete MLB box score data and player-level performance breakdowns confirm this balanced attack has been a recurring theme for Tampa Bay, and the Yankees’ bats woke up just one inning too late to change the outcome.
Official Game Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, April 12, 2026 |
| Start Time | 10:40 p.m. Local |
| Game Duration | 2 hours, 32 minutes |
| Venue | Tropicana Field |
| Final Score | Tampa Bay Rays 5, New York Yankees 4 |
| Attendance | 20,796 |
| Broadcast | ESPN Unlmtd / MLB.TV |
| Home Plate Umpire | Dan Bellino |
| First Base Umpire | Steven Jaschinski |
| Second Base Umpire | Mark Ripperger |
| Third Base Umpire | Shane Livensparger |
| Win | D. Rasmussen (1-0) |
| Loss | C. Schlittler (2-1) |
| Save | M. Englert (1) |
Performance Breakdown — How Each Team Played on Sunday Night
New York Yankees — Flat Through Eight Innings, Too Little Too Late
The Yankees were completely neutralized through the first six innings, unable to generate any real offensive momentum against a Rasmussen who was dialed in from pitch one. New York finally cracked the scoreboard with two runs in the seventh, but went quiet again in the eighth before Judge’s massive two-run shot made it a genuine nail-biter. Ben Rice went 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice to pace the lineup, while the team’s 1-for-7 showing with runners in scoring position was the number that ultimately decided the game. Aaron Judge’s monthly batting splits and how the Yankees have trended in 2026 road games show this kind of late-game burst is real — but it can’t paper over the kind of early-inning disappearing acts New York put on here.
Tampa Bay Rays — Controlled the Tempo, Cashed In Early
Tampa Bay Rays went to work immediately, pushing one across in the first and two more in the second before the Yankees could blink. Chandler Simpson was the engine at the top of the order, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI, and his seventh stolen base of the season — he also tripled off Ryan Yarbrough to keep the Rays’ pressure on. Taylor Walls delivered 2 hits and 2 RBIs while swiping his first steal of 2026. The pitching staff picked up Rasmussen’s masterpiece with a steady effort, and even when Mark Englert made the ninth inning genuinely tense, Drew Rasmussen’s complete start logs and how Tampa Bay’s rotation has handled AL East competition add important context to just how good this outing really was for the right-hander.
Inning-by-Inning Scoring Summary
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 11 | 0 |
Injury Report
| Team | Player | Position | Status | Injury | Expected Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TB | Gavin Lux | LF | 10-Day-IL | Shoulder – Pinched Nerve | 2026-04-14 |
| TB | Ty Johnson | SP | Day-To-Day | Back – Strain | 2026-04-15 |
| TB | Garrett Cleavinger | RP | 15-Day-IL | Calf | 2026-04-15 |
| TB | Austin Vernon | RP | Day-To-Day | Elbow – Soreness | 2026-04-19 |
| TB | John Rooney | RP | Day-To-Day | Elbow – Surgery | 2026-04-19 |
| NYY | Rafael Montero | RP | Out | Personal – Not Specified | 2026-04-16 |
| NYY | Anthony Volpe | SS | 10-Day-IL | Shoulder – Surgery | 2026-05-01 |
| NYY | Carlos Rodon | SP | 15-Day-IL | Elbow – Surgery | 2026-05-02 |
| NYY | Gerrit Cole | SP | 15-Day-IL | Elbow – Surgery | 2026-05-15 |
| NYY | Travis MacGregor | SP | Day-To-Day | Undisclosed – Not Specified | 2026-06-01 |
Full Team Statistics
| Stat | New York Yankees | Tampa Bay Rays |
|---|---|---|
| At Bats (AB) | 33 | 32 |
| Runs (R) | 4 | 5 |
| Hits (H) | 7 | 11 |
| Errors (E) | 0 | 0 |
| Home Runs (HR) | 1 | 0 |
| RBI | 4 | 5 |
| Walks (BB) | 2 | 1 |
| Strikeouts (K) | 8 | 9 |
| Left on Base (LOB) | 4 | 7 |
| Double Plays (DP) | 1 | 1 |
| Stolen Bases (SB) | 0 | 2 |
| Sacrifice Flies (SF) | 0 | 1 |
| Sacrifice Hits (SH) | 0 | 2 |
Tampa Bay Rays Batting Statistics
| Player | Pos | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandler Simpson | LF | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .411 | .441 | .482 |
| Junior Caminero | 3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .246 | .343 | .386 |
| Jonathan Aranda | 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .217 | .286 | .417 |
| Yandy Diaz | DH | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .362 | .456 | .569 |
| Jake Fraley | RF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .219 | .306 | .313 |
| Cedric Mullins | CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .137 | .182 | .255 |
| Richie Palacios | 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .211 | .400 | .368 |
| B. Williamson | PH-2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .244 | .306 | .289 |
| Taylor Walls | SS | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .368 | .389 |
| Heriberto Feduccia | C | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .333 | .200 |
| Nick Fortes | PH-C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .310 | .341 | .476 |
| TEAM | 32 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
Rays Batting Notes:
- 3B: Mullins (1, Schlittler); Simpson (2, Yarbrough)
- RBI: Diaz (14), Walls (2), Palacios (3), Simpson (4), Caminero (4)
- 2-Out RBI: Simpson
- SF: Caminero | SH: Mullins; Walls
- GIDP: Fortes | Team LOB: 7
- Team RISP: 2-10 (Diaz 0-1, Fraley 0-2, Aranda 0-1, Palacios 0-1, Fortes 0-1, Feduccia 0-1, Williamson 1-1, Simpson 1-1, Caminero 0-1)
- SB: Walls (1, 2nd base off Schlittler/Escarra); Simpson (7, 2nd base off Schlittler/Escarra)
- Fielding DP: 1 (Caminero-Palacios-Aranda)
Tampa Bay Rays Pitching Statistics
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Rasmussen W (1-0) | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 76-51 | 1.13 |
| Cole Sulser H (1) | 0.1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15-7 | 6.00 |
| Kevin Kelly H (2) | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18-12 | 7.94 |
| Mark Englert S (1) | 1.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21-15 | 10.57 |
| TEAM | 9.0 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 130-85 |
New York Yankees Batting Statistics
| Player | Pos | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Grisham | CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .133 | .328 | .200 |
| Ben Rice | 1B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .356 | .500 | .756 |
| Aaron Judge | DH | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .218 | .328 | .455 |
| Cody Bellinger | LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .241 | .338 | .352 |
| Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .179 | .233 | .268 |
| Randal Grichuk | RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .300 | .364 | .400 |
| Amed Rosario | RF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .292 | .333 | .667 |
| J.C. Escarra | C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .083 | .000 |
| Austin Wells | PH-C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .154 | .267 | .256 |
| Ryan McMahon | 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .114 | .262 | .114 |
| J. Caballero | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 | .216 | .208 |
| TEAM | 33 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
Yankees Batting Notes:
- 2B: Rosario (1, Englert); Chisholm Jr. (5, Rasmussen); Rice (6, Sulser)
- HR: Judge (4, 9th inning off Englert 1 on, 0 Out)
- RBI: Stanton (8), Judge 2 (9), Bellinger (6)
- GIDP: Caballero | Team LOB: 4
- Team RISP: 1-7 (Stanton 0-1, Grichuk 0-1, McMahon 0-1, Bellinger 1-1, Chisholm Jr. 0-1, Escarra 0-1, Wells 0-1)
- Fielding DP: 1 (Caballero-Chisholm Jr.-Rice)
New York Yankees Pitching Statistics
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke Schlittler L (2-1) | 5.0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 85-61 | 2.49 |
| Ryan Yarbrough | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20-14 | 1.59 |
| Camilo Doval | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11-7 | 6.00 |
| Brent Headrick | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9-5 | 2.16 |
| TEAM | 8.0 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 125-87 |
Side-by-Side: Yankees vs. Rays Offensive and Pitching Numbers Compared
One of the most reliable resources for tracking this rivalry’s statistical trends is Vector Digest’s year-round Major League Baseball game analysis and team stat — here’s how both rosters stacked up on April 12.
| Metric | New York Yankees | Tampa Bay Rays |
|---|---|---|
| At Bats | 33 | 32 |
| Runs Scored | 4 | 5 |
| Hits | 7 | 11 |
| Home Runs | 1 | 0 |
| RBI | 4 | 5 |
| Walks (Batting) | 2 | 1 |
| Strikeouts (Batting) | 8 | 9 |
| Left on Base | 4 | 7 |
| Stolen Bases | 0 | 2 |
| Sacrifice Flies | 0 | 1 |
| Sacrifice Hits | 0 | 2 |
| Double Plays | 1 | 1 |
| Errors | 0 | 0 |
| Innings Pitched | 8.0 | 9.0 |
| Hits Allowed | 11 | 7 |
| Runs Allowed | 5 | 4 |
| Earned Runs Allowed | 5 | 4 |
| Walks Issued | 2 | 1 |
| Strikeouts (Pitching) | 9 | 10 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 0 | 1 |
| Total Pitch Count | 125 | 130 |
| Strikes Thrown | 87 | 85 |
Tampa Bay won this one because they scored first and never allowed the Yankees to get within striking distance until it was almost too late. Rasmussen’s six-inning performance — just 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 7 Ks — was the foundation, and the Rays’ lineup spread the run-scoring responsibilities across six players to make the total feel inevitable rather than lucky. New York’s 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position is the number that tells the whole offensive story in one line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays game on April 12, 2026?
The Tampa Bay Rays won 5-4 at Tropicana Field, holding off a ninth-inning Yankees rally sparked by Aaron Judge’s two-run home run to improve to 8-7 on the 2026 season.
Who was the winning pitcher in the Yankees vs. Rays April 12 game?
Drew Rasmussen earned the win (1-0) with a six-inning shutout, allowing just one hit with zero earned runs and seven strikeouts. He threw 76 total pitches with 51 strikes.
Who earned the save for Tampa Bay Rays in this matchup?
Mark Englert recorded Save No. 1 of 2026, pitching the ninth inning. He allowed three hits and two earned runs — including Judge’s home run — while posting one strikeout and one walk.
Which Rays hitter had the standout night at the plate?
Chandler Simpson was the best performer, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI, a triple off Yarbrough, and his seventh stolen base of the 2026 season.
What was Aaron Judge’s complete stat line in this game?
Judge went 1-for-3 with one walk, two runs scored, two RBIs, and his fourth home run of the 2026 season — a two-run shot off Mark Englert in the top of the ninth inning.
How did Clarke Schlittler perform in his April 12 start?
Schlittler was charged with the loss, falling to 2-1 on the year. He threw five innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs while striking out eight and throwing 85 pitches (61 for strikes).
What was the official attendance at Tropicana Field on April 12?
The game drew 20,796 fans at Tropicana Field on Sunday, April 12, 2026. First pitch was at 10:40 p.m. local time and the game took 2 hours and 32 minutes to complete.
Did either team turn a double play in this game?
Yes — both teams turned one double play each. Tampa Bay completed a Caminero-Palacios-Aranda combination, while New York turned theirs via Caballero-Chisholm Jr.-Rice.
Which Rays pitcher earned a Hold in this game?
Both Cole Sulser (H, 1) and Kevin Kelly (H, 2) were credited with Holds in this contest. Sulser worked 0.1 innings and Kelly threw 1.2, combining for two strikeouts and zero walks.
Final Thoughts
This was the kind of Sunday night game where the box score barely captures the drama inside it. Tampa Bay executed their gameplan near-perfectly for eight innings — scoring early, playing clean defense, and riding a Rasmussen masterpiece to a cushion that felt comfortable until Judge swung at a fastball in the ninth. New York showed they’re dangerous in any count and any inning, and this game is a good reminder that writing the Yankees off after the seventh is always a risky move. Both clubs sit at 8-7 on the 2026 season, and performances like this one from Tampa Bay’s pitching staff suggest the Rays may be building into a legitimate AL threat — but the Yankees’ ability to change a game with one swing makes every future meeting worth watching closely.
