Arguably the best pitching matchup around baseball on Tuesday is from the Bronx as former AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell takes the mound for Tampa Bay against New York’s Masahiro Tanaka. The Yankees are favored on the MLB odds.
How to Bet Yankees at Rays MLB Odds & TV Info
- When: Tuesday, 7 PM ET
- Where: Yankee Stadium
- Probable pitchers (away/home): Blake Snell/Masahiro Tanaka
- TV: ESPN
- Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
- Opening MLB Lines: Yankees -113, Rays +103 (total 8.5)
While the Yankees had to finish a home series with Boston on Monday, the Rays were off. They took two of three in Buffalo vs. Toronto over the weekend, winning the Sunday finale 7-5 in eight innings. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo launched a three-run homer and doubled in the win.
Tsutsugo launched his three-run shot off of Matt Shoemaker in the fourth to give the Rays a 3-2 lead. The homer is the third he’s hit in a Tampa Bay uniform, and the double gives him two on the shortened season. Tsutsugo has struggled with a line of .207/.319/.397, but he has driven in 14 runs hitting in the middle of the Rays’ lineup.
After the game, the Rays optioned RHP Aaron Slegers to their alternate training site. Slegers made a scoreless appearance Sunday against the Blue Jays but has allowed five earned runs in three total innings this season at the major league level.
It’s lefty Blake Snell on the mound. Snell (1-0, 2.08) blanked the Red Sox over five innings with six strikeouts in the Rays’ 9-5 victory on Wednesday. Snell allowed just four hits, and he didn’t issue a walk to go with those six punchouts. The southpaw was on point against the Red Sox, and he needed just 70 pitches to get through his five frames; 48 of those offerings were thrown for strikes. The 2018 Cy Young winner finally got a chance to qualify for a win after going no more than three innings in his first three appearances.
It was Snell’s first win since July 21, 2019 vs. Chicago White Sox and first road win since June 9, 2019 at Boston. His 70 pitches were his most since July 21, 2019 vs. the White Sox (109), his last start before arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.
Snell has made back-to-back scoreless starts spanning 8 IP (vs. NYY, at BOS) and has yielded 4 hits and 2 BB over those 2 starts and struck out 11 of 29 batters faced.
Snell is 3-6 with a 4.23 ERA (72.1-IP, 34-ER) in 17 career starts against the Yankees, his most frequent opponent, and has allowed 2 runs over his last 3 starts spanning 13 IP against them. He is 1-5 with a 5.82 ERA (43.1-IP, 28-ER) in 11 starts at Yankee Stadium, compared to 2-1 with a 1.86 ERA (29-IP, 6-ER) in 6 starts at home. He last faced the Yankees on Aug 7 at home and went three hitless innings, yielding 2 BB and retiring nine of his last 10 BF.
Since the start of 2018, Snell is 1-4 with a 4.70 ERA (38.1-IP, 20-ER) in 9 starts against the Yankees and 27-9 with a 2.47 ERA (262.1-IP, 72-ER) in 49 starts against all other opponents. In his career, Snell has allowed 4 HR to New York’s Gary Sánchez, his most against any hitter.
Why Bet on NY Yankees?The Yankees in the midst of playing 12 straight games in New York (their current season-high nine-game homestand, followed by three games at Citi Field). They are also in a stretch of playing 18 of 20 games (8/11-9/2) in New York, including 15 at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees are 10-3 vs. AL East opponents this season. They are 37-7 vs. the AL East at home since the start of 2019 and have won each of their last 12 completed series at home vs. AL East teams, including eight sweeps.
New York activated closer Aroldis Chapman off the injured list on Monday. Chapman has been on the COVID-19 IL since the season began. He tested negative for the coronavirus during the intake program but positive afterward. Chapman turned in a 2.21 ERA in 2019, and will make the vaunted Yankees bullpen look that much deeper.
“To get [Chapman] back at the back end [of the bullpen], I’m really excited about that,’’ Manager Aaron Boone said. “The trickle-down [effect] it has is to move other high-leverage guys and it makes us a little bit deeper back there. It’s not just about [Chapman] and his greatness, but also where it slots other guys and gives you better options throughout the game.”
It’s Masahiro Tanaka (0-0, 2.31) on the bump here. Tanaka lasted four innings and allowed two runs last Wednesday in his start against the Braves. He did not factor in the decision. The Yankees continue to tread very carefully with Tanaka, who threw 66 pitches after coming in at 51 and 59 in his first two starts. The 31-year-old righty should be able to throw 70 pitches or so in this one.
Concussion protocol delayed Tanaka’s start to the 60-game 2020 season, but “the stuff looks great, he’s throwing the ball really well,’’ Boone said.
“The splitter’s been good, life on the fastball has been excellent,’’ said Boone, adding that Tanaka also has effectively mixed in his breaking pitches with good command.
Game Trends- Rays are 14-37 in the last 51 meetings in New York.
- Under is 18-7-2 in the last 27 meetings in New York.
- Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
- Rays are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
