New York Yankees Mike Vaccaro Rays and Brewers are making owners’ CBA narrative look foolish By Mike Vaccaro Published Oct. 3, 2026, 6:43 p.m. ET Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) catches New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) pop out during the fifth inning when the New York Yankees played the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of their split doubleheader Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post So, here’s an existential question for you, Yankees fans:
If the Rays beating the Yankees meant that, the day after the Rays splashed champagne, both parties in the coming baseball labor Armageddon declared: “That’s it! We’re settling! 2027, here we come!” — would you sign up for that?
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OK, I’ll stop the madness here. Of course you wouldn’t sign up for that. Of course you want the Yankees to beat the Rays in the division series, which began Saturday night at St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field. You’ll worry about 2027 in 2027. And maybe add this: If there’s no ’27 and we win it in 2026, that’ll be a two-year reign! Who says no to that?
But it does bring up what, to me, is the fascinating case of the Rays, who, along with the Brewers, are seemingly on a mission to scotch the campaign that the baseball owners are fixing to mount within minutes of the final out of the World Series.
