The game was televised nationally by ESPN.[3] An alternate telecast, featuring Statcast analytics and sponsored by Amazon Web Services, aired on ESPN2.[4] The game set the record for the highest attendance at a wild card game with an attendance of 54,005.[5]
Oakland entered the game with a 97–65 record, while Tampa Bay was 96–66. They met seven times during the regular season, with Oakland winning the season series 4–3.
The Oakland Athletics secured their third postseason appearance as a wild card team on September 27, finishing second in the American League West, behind the Houston Astros.[6][7] Oakland secured home field advantage on September 28.[8][9] They previously appeared in the 2014 and 2018 Wild Card Games, losing both.
The Tampa Bay Rays also secured their third postseason appearance as a wild card team on September 27, finishing second in the American League East, behind the New York Yankees.[10][7] They previously appeared in one Wild Card Game, a win in 2013.
The Rays took an early lead in the first inning courtesy of a leadoff home run by Yandy Díaz off Oakland starter Sean Manaea. Manaea gave up a single to Matt Duffy to begin the second inning, and Avisaíl García promptly homered to extend Tampa Bay's lead to 3–0. When Manaea gave up another home run to Díaz in the third inning, he was lifted in favor of Yusmeiro Petit. The Athletics scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the third, when a throwing error by Mike Brosseau allowed Marcus Semien to reach third base and Ramón Laureano drove him in with a sacrifice fly. However, Tommy Pham's fifth inning home run off Petit again gave the Rays a four-run lead. Charlie Morton was relieved after the bottom of the fifth by Diego Castillo, Nick Anderson, and Emilio Pagán, who combined for four scoreless innings to seal the victory for Tampa Bay. For Oakland, it was their 30th straight year without a title.
