The New York Yankees have dominated the season series against the AL East-rival Tampa Bay Rays this season, winning nine of 13. The teams open their final series of the season at Yankee Stadium on Monday with the Yanks favored on the MLB Odds.
How to Bet Rays vs Yankees MLB Odds & Game Info
- When: Monday, 7:05 PM ET
- Where: Yankee Stadium
- Probable pitchers (away/home): Snell/Paxton
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- Radio: WFAN
- MLB Odds: New York Yankees -150 (Total 8.5)
Why Bet on Tampa Bay?
The Rays remain without All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, and he might not return to the Rays’ active roster until next weekend. This right shin contusion has lingered longer than anyone could have expected. Lowe was originally aiming to return this weekend against the Orioles but couldn’t do so.
There has never been a combined perfect game in MLB history but nearly was Sunday in Tampa’s 4-1 win over Baltimore. Ryan Yarbrough and opener Ryne Stanek nearly delivered the first combined perfect game but the O’s hit back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the ninth inning. Emilio Pagan earned a one-out save Sunday. Pagan entered the game with two outs and two men on in the bottom of the ninth inning and struck out Trey Mancini. The 28-year-old right-hander has an opportunity to run away with the Rays’ closer gig with Jose Alvarado (oblique) out 6-8 weeks and Diego Castillo struggling.
It’s lefty and reigning AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who has been terrible in his career at Yankee Stadium – he has pitched there more than anywhere else but his own Tropicana Field. Snell allowed one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts across five innings in a no-decision against the Yankees in his last start on July 6.
While he didn’t win, the 26-year-old followed up his 12-strikeout performance from his last start with another stellar outing. For the fifth time in his last seven appearances, Snell averaged more than a strikeout per inning. Snell has 122 punchouts in 90 innings, but he is also 5-7 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.29 WHIP this season.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.72
- Hits: 8.92
- Walks: 3.22
- Strike Outs: 9.35
Defense
- Runs: 3.64
- Hits: 7.51
- Walks: 2.85
- Strike Outs: 9.68
Why Bet on NY Yankees?
Yankees batters have not been shut out in 173 consecutive games. The last time the Yankees were shut out was 6/30/18 vs. Boston (11-0 loss) is one game shy of the fourth-longest stretch without being shut out in the Modern Era (since 1900). It’s the longest streak since Cincinnati’s 208-game streak from 4/3/00-5/23/01.
All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman tallied his 25th save of the season Sunday in the Yankees’ 4-2 defeat of the Blue Jays. Chapman retired all three batters he faced — one via strikeout — while throwing just eight total pitches. It was his first appearance since July 5, though he did earn a save in the MLB All-Star Game last Tuesday in Cleveland. The left-hander boasts a 1.77 ERA and 51/12 K/BB ratio in 35 2/3 innings this season with New York.
The Yankees are 18-5 since 6/15, and Major League-bests 36-16 since 5/12, 41-18 since 5/5 and 51-22 since 4/19. They are 18-7 in games following a loss since 4/13. New York is 12-0-1 in their last 13 home series (since 4/16), going 30-9 in 39 games over that span. It’s their second-longest undefeated-series streak at the current Yankee Stadium, behind 17 straight undefeated series from 4/16-8/12/18 (14-0-3). The Yanks are 33-15 (.688) at home this season, the Majors’ third-best home record (Los Angeles-NL, 37-12, .755; Houston, 33-14, .702). They are 11-2 in their past 13 at home.
New York goes with lefty James Paxton. He last pitched on July 11 against these Rays and recorded 11 strikeouts over six innings in a loss. Paxton was brilliant in his final start before the All-Star break, racking up 20 swinging strikes on 99 pitches. His 11 strikeouts were one shy of his season-high, a feat he’s accomplished twice this year. He coughed up two runs on seven hits and didn’t hand out a free pass in this one. The Rays did all of their damage early, plating both runs in the opening frame, as Paxton whiffed nine of the final 19 batters he faced over the next five frames.
The 30-year-old southpaw closes is 5-4 with a 4.01 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 95/30 K/BB ratio across 15 starts. If he can stay healthy, he’s primed for a monster second-half in New York. Paxton has had trouble in the first innings this year with a 1.046 OPS and ERA north of 10.00. If Paxton was just league average in the first inning, his full-season ERA would drop from 4.01 to 3.06. Then again, almost every starter is worse in the first inning, simply because they’re guaranteed to face the first three hitters in the order, usually an opponent’s best.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.63
- Hits: 9.07
- Walks: 3.67
- Strike Outs: 8.88
- Runs: 4.33
- Hits: 8.46
- Walks: 2.97
- Strike Outs: 9.27
Rays vs Yankees MLB Betting Trends
- Under is 15-5-1 in the last 21 meetings in New York
- Rays are 2-8 in Snell’s last 10 road starts vs. Yankees
- Rays are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay’s last 6 games against an opponent in the American League
- Yankees are 11-2 SU in their last 13 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 11 of NY Yankees’ last 13 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Expert Final Score Prediction for Rays vs Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays 4 – New York Yankees 6
