Yankees, Rays ready for battle

SAN DIEGO – The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees don’t care for each other.

“They don’t like us, we don’t like them,” Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier said, “and it’s going to continue to stay that way.”

Said Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner: “The feeling is probably mutual.”

You want high- stakes drama? This is your series.

They even hate the idea that they’re sharing the same hotel in Carlsbad, California, having to run across each other in the hotel lobby or on the hotel grounds for a stroll.

“Obviously, it’s not ideal,” Gardner said, “but it’s the cards that we’ve been dealt.”

These two American League East powers, who hit, fought and cursed at each other 10 times during the regular season, now are playing for bragging rights and the opportunity to advance to the AL Championship Series.

The hatred between these two goes back to 2008 when Elliot Johnson of the Rays lowered his shoulder and crashed into Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli in spring training, breaking Cervelli’s right wrist. Four days later, Yankees outfielder Shelley Duncan spiked Rays infielder Akinori Iwamura’s right leg on a slide, prompting a brawl. This season, Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka hit Rays third baseman Joey Wendle and the next day Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman threw a 101- mph fastball over the head of infielder Mike Brosseau, with Rays manager Kevin Cash lashing out and vowing retaliation.

“We have a whole damn stable full of guys,” Cash said, “that throw 98 miles an hour. Period.”

This will be the first time these two franchises have met in the postseason. The Rays ( 40- 20) had the best record in the AL this season and beat up on the Yankees ( 33- 27) eight times in 10 games.