It won't be an easy road for the Tampa Bay Rays to clinch the American League East. The Rays know they are headed to the MLB postseason and tickets to their potential matchups are available now. But, with just 13 games left, the Rays only hold a 3.5 game lead over the New York Yankees.
The Rays final 13 games include a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox this week and a four-game set against the New York Yankees in the final week of regular season play. A lot could change in that window. The AL East came down to the last day of the season in 2025, but the Rays were not in the running.
Below, we'll breakdown everything you need to know about the Tampa Bay Rays postseason scenarios—including how to buy Rays playoff tickets:
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2026 Tampa Bay Rays MLB playoff tickets
Tampa Bay Rays 2026 MLB playoff tickets
The Rays are heading back to the MLB postseason. See all ticket options now:
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Tampa Bay Rays playoff scenarios
As of publication, the Tampa Bay Rays have officially clinched a playoff spot. But, the American League East is still very much up for grabs. As of publication, the Yankees are 3.5 games back and the Boston Red Sox are still technically alive as well. Because the Rays haven't clinched the division yet, they could still land as a wild card team or they could clinch and earn a first-round bye to the ALDS. Here's a breakdown of those playoff scenarios:
Tampa Bay Rays Wild Card tickets
Note: Keep in mind, these are still potential playoff scenarios, but if you purchase tickets and the game does not happen, StubHub refunds your purchase.
The Rays magic number to clinch the AL East is 12. That's a lot with 13 games left to play, including a four game set against the New York Yankees in the final week. But, it's nothing new. The American League East was set up very similarly in 2025. If the Rays happen to fall to the wild card, they would most likely host the Red Sox for a three-game series.
- Home Game 1: Sept. 29 — Starting at $84
- Home Game 2: Sept. 30 — Starting at $84
- Home Game 3: Oct. 1 — Starting at $84
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Tampa Bay Rays ALDS tickets
Should the Rays clinch the American League East title, they would be one step closer to the ultimate goal, and have homefield advantage in the ALDS. The opponent would not be determined until the wild card series. If the Rays earn a bye to the ALDS, they would host Game 1, 2 and a Game 5, if necessary.
- Home Game 1: TBD — Starting at $194
- Home Game 2: TBD — Starting at $187
- Home Game 3*: TBD —Starting at $227
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Tampa Bay Rays ALCS tickets
If the Rays advance to the American League Championship Series, it becomes a best-of-seven game series with the winner heading to the World Series. The higher seeded team will host Game 1, Game 2, Game 6 and Game 7, if necessary. In this scenario, were the Rays to win the AL East, they would have homefield advantage in this series as well.
- Home Game 1: TBD — Starting at $537
- Home Game 2: TBD — Starting at $650
- Home Game 3*: TBD — Starting at $539
- Home Game 4*: TBD — Starting at $689
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Tampa Bay Rays 2026 World Series tickets
Should the Rays conquer the rest of the American League in the postseason, they would head to the organization's third World Series appearance, ever. The Rays won it all in 2008, but lost it to the Dodgers in the shortened 2020 season. As with the other series, the team with the best record will host, which is less likely, but not impossible for an AL team.
- Home Game 1 - TBD — Starting at $2,061
- Home Game 2 - TBD — Starting at $2,159
- Home Game 3* - TBD — Starting at $2,322
- Home Game 4* - TBD — Starting at $2,486
*=if necessary
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Key dates for the 2026 MLB season
- Opening Night: Wednesday, March 25 ✅
- Opening Day: Thursday, March 26 ✅
- MLB Mexico Series: Saturday, April 25 to Sunday, April 26 ✅
- All-Star Break: July 11-14, with the All-Star Game taking place on Tuesday, July 14 ✅
- Postseason: The MLB postseason is expected to start on Sep. 29, 2026.
- 2026 World Series: Slated to start on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to buy 2026 Tampa Bay Rays MLB playoff tickets, Rays postseason scenarios
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