Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Yankees will continue their four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday at Steinbrenner Field. It will be an American League East showdown as we continue our MLB odds series with a Yankees-Rays prediction and pick.
Yankees-Rays Projected Starters
Carlos Rodon vs. Drew Rasmussen
Carlos Rodon (1-3) with a 5.48 ERA
Last Start: Rodon labored in his last start, going 5 2/3 innings while allowing four earned runs on three hits while striking out eight and walking three in a loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Away Splits: Rodon struggled in his one start away from Yankee Stadium, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA.
Drew Rasmussen (0-0) with a 0.60 ERA
Last Start: Rasmussen was solid in his last outing, hurling five shutout innings while striking out seven and walking one in a no-decision against the Atlanta Braves.
Home Splits: Rasmussen has thrived at home, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over two home starts.
Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Yankees-Rays Odds
New York Yankees: -1.5 (+150)
Moneyline: -106
Tampa Bay Rays: +1.5 (-182)
Moneyline: -110
Over: 8.5 (-110)
Under: 8.5 (-110)
How to Watch Yankees vs. Rays
Time: 7:05 PM ET/4:05 PM PT
TV: YES NETWORK
Article Continues Below
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Yankees Will Cover The Spread/Win
Aaron Judge is an MVP candidate again as he has started the season with a bang, coming into the weekend with a batting average of .409 with seven home runs, 21 RBIs, and 2o runs. Amazingly, he keeps producing, and there does not seem to be an end in sight. Judge is the bat that strings all the runs together, and a major reason why the Yankees are fifth in batting average, fourth in on-base percentage, second in home runs and runs, and the best team in the majors in slugging percentage.
The Yankees came into the series with the Rays on the heels of a sweep over the Royals. Mainly, their pitching was responsible, as they allowed a combined six runs while their offense had four runs in each game. This illustrated how dangerous this team is, even when their bats don't fire off on all cylinders. To this extent, Rodon will attempt to keep the momentum going. When he exits the game, he will turn it over to the second-best bullpen in the majors. Devin Williams is the closer, for now, as he labors with a 0-1 record with a 6.00 ERA and three saves.
The Yankees will cover the spread if they can begin stringing together some hits and take the early lead. Then, Rodon must get the ball into the hands of his bullpen with the lead.
Why The Rays Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Rays did not fare well against the Boston Red Sox, losing two of three games before welcoming the Yankees into town on Thursday. There is a possibility they can bounce back. However, they need a consistent offense. After going off for 16 runs on Monday against the Sox, they combined for five over the next two games, even losing 1-0 in the finale.
Rookie Kameron Misner is making an impact and showcasing the talent the Rays knew he had when they selected him. Regardless, the Rays still have some issues to address, and they need to be more potent at the plate. Yandy Diaz has been bad, batting .230 with three home runs and six RBIs while scoring 10 runs. Christopher Morel is hitting .288 with one home run, six RBIs, and eight runs throughout his tenure this season. Meanwhile, Jose Caballero is batting .290 with one home run, eight RBIs, and three runs.
This will be the toughest test Rasmussen has faced. When he exits, he will turn it over to an inconsistent bullpen that is 18th in team ERA. Pete Fairbanks is the closer, coming in at 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA.
The Rays will cover the spread if they can string together some hits and build an early lead. Then, they need a good outing from Rasmussen and to avoid allowing Judge to hit the ball out of the park.
Final Yankees-Rays Prediction & Pick
The Yankees went 7-6 against the Rays last season, including 3-3 in Tampa. However, this will strangely feel like a home game as the Yanks will be playing on their Spring Training practice field. This will be a weird series for the Yankees as they will be the visiting team in their own field.
Rodon has struggled this season, and that affects this matchup. Overall, I like Rasmussen better. While I believe he will finally allow a run, I also think he will pitch well enough to help the Rays cover the spread.
Final Yankees-Rays Prediction & Pick: Rays +1.5 (-182)
