If you're like most Minnesota Twins fans, you probably enjoy seeing the New York Yankees lose. The Yankees certainly have the Twins' number. Since 1903, the Yankees are 1,152-780 against the Twins. Since the year 2000, New York is 121-56 against Minnesota. It's even worse in the postseason, with the Yankees holding a 16-2 record against the Twins in postseason games (2003-19).
Unfortunately, the Twins didn't make the playoffs this year. On the bright side, Twins fans got to see the Tampa Bay Rays complete a sweep of the Yankees in the American League Division Series with a 4-3 win at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.
Former Twins right-hander Griffin Jax played a crucial role in the Rays' Game 3 victory, allowing one run in two innings out of the bullpen. Jax surrendered one hit and one walk while striking out four. He threw 32 pitches.
Jax entered the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. He got Cody Bellinger to line out softly for the first out of the inning. He then walked George Lombard Jr. and struck out Austin Wells.
Jax nearly blew the game for the Rays. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and a runner on base, Anthony Volpe hit a ball to deep left field that was originally called a game-tying home run. Upon review, the call was overturned due to fan interference. Volpe's hit was ruled an RBI double, and Jax struck out the next batter, Spencer Jones, to end the inning.
Jax had a much cleaner seventh inning, getting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to pop out before striking out Trent Grisham and Ben Rice, respectively, to end the frame.
It's always fun to see former Twins players succeed on the big stage, especially when the Twins aren't in the postseason. Minnesota traded Jax to Tampa Bay for right-hander Taj Bradley at last year's trade deadline.
Twins still won Griffin Jax-Taj Bradley trade with Rays
Just because Jax is pitching on the big stage while Bradley is watching from home doesn't mean the Twins lost the trade. Bradley had a strong 2026 season with the Twins, posting a 3.73 ERA with a 27.4% strikeout rate over 178 1/3 innings.
Jax also had a solid season, posting a 3.53 ERA with a 25.3% strikeout rate over 112 1/3 innings. The Rays converted him to a primary starting pitcher during the year.
Per fWAR, Bradley (2.8) had a better year than Jax (1.6).
Bradley is under team control through the 2029 season, and Jax will be a free agent after next season.
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