Rays vs. Yankees: Which Game Is On, and Who Is Starting?

The short answer

The relevant game is Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 7:05 p.m. EDT at Yankee Stadium. It is separate from Tuesday’s doubleheader, which is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. EDT. (MLB schedule)

That distinction matters because a series label can make several different games look like one event. When checking the matchup, the date is more useful than the team names alone.

Who is scheduled to pitch?

For Wednesday’s game, MLB’s Gameday preview lists Ian Seymour, a left-handed pitcher, for Tampa Bay and Gerrit Cole, a right-handed pitcher, for New York. The Rays’ official probable-pitchers page lists the same matchup and identifies them as probable starters. (Gameday preview, probable pitchers)

The same page lists Seymour at 9–7 with a 4.38 ERA and 155 strikeouts, while Cole is listed at 9–9 with a 3.63 ERA and 123 strikeouts. Those figures describe the listed probable starters; they are not a prediction of the game’s result.

Why the schedule changes how to read the matchup

A doubleheader followed by a separate night game creates three distinct game contexts across two dates. Tuesday’s two entries should not be treated as the preview for Wednesday’s game. The schedule establishes which game is being played, and the probable-pitcher listing supplies the corresponding pitching matchup.

That is the useful takeaway: Rays vs. Yankees is not enough information by itself. For the Wednesday game, the precise question is whether the listed left-handed Rays starter, Seymour, faces the listed right-handed Yankees starter, Cole.

Bottom line

For September 23, look for Rays at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. EDT, Yankee Stadium, with Ian Seymour and Gerrit Cole listed as the probable starters. The date separates this game from Tuesday’s doubleheader.