The Tampa Bay Rays (11-9) and New York Yankees (13-6) open a 3-game weekend series at Yankee Stadium Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Rays vs. Yankees odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Rays won 8-5 last season
Three of the 4 Rays games vs. the Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay’s most recent series, were decided by 1 run. The Rays managed to split the series by winning 2-1 Thursday afternoon, cashing as (-137) moneyline favorites.
RF Amed Rosario had an RBI triple, and he finished with at least a run scored and 2 hits for a 3rd straight Game. The 28-year-old is riding a 10-Game hitting streak as he continues to find success creating backspin with a level swing.
The Yankees avoided getting swept at the Toronto Blue Jays to start the week as they cashed as (+107) underdogs in a 6-4 comeback victory Wednesday. New York trailed 4-1 entering the 8th inning, but RF Juan Soto and DH Giancarlo Stanton blasted solo HRs to trim the lead before CF Aaron Judge delivered a tiebreaking single in the 9th.
Rays at Yankees projected starters
LHP Tyler Alexander vs. RHP Clarke Schmidt
Alexander (1-0, 6.46 ERA) makes his 2nd start and 4th appearance. He has a 1.63 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 7.0 K/9 in 15 1/3 innings.
- Last outing: Win, 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K in relief appearance of 9-4 home victory vs. San Francisco Giants Sunday
- 2023 road stats: 0-1, 4.64 ERA (21 1/3 IP, 11 ER) in 1 start and 11 relief appearances with Detroit Tigers
- Career vs. Yankees: 0-1, 3.38 ERA (8 IP, 3 ER) in 1 start and 2 relief appearances — last faced New York in 2022
- Sports a 48.3% strike zone percentage along with an impressive 52.1% swing percentage
Schmidt (1-0, 3.68 ERA) makes his 4th start. He has a 1.64 WHIP, 4.9 BB/9 and 9.8 K/9 in 14 2/3 innings.
- Last start: Win, 5 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 5 BB, 7 K in 3-2 victory at Cleveland Guardians Sunday
- 2023 home stats: 4-6, 4.15 ERA (86 2/3 IP, 40 ER) in 17 starts and 1 relief appearance
- 2023 vs. Rays: 0-2, 6.35 ERA (11 1/3 IP, 8 ER) in 2 starts
- Career vs. Rays: 1-3, 4.24 ERA (23 1/3 IP, 11 ER) in 4 starts and 4 relief appearances
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Rays at Yankees odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:45 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Rays +146 (bet $100 to win $146) | Yankees -174 (bet $174 to win $100)
- Run line (RL): Rays +1.5 (-130) | Yankees -1.5 (+108)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -106 | U: -114)
Rays at Yankees picks and predictions
Prediction
Yankees 5, Rays 3
Moneyline
PASS.
This is too much juice to lay to take the Yankees (-174) by themselves
Run line
BET YANKEES -1.5 (+108).
If Alexander’s command of the backdoor cutter and backdoor sweeper isn’t there and he stumbles, then Rays manager Kevin Cash will have to turn to a Tampa Bay bullpen that enters Friday with a league-worst 6.00 ERA.
New York enters Friday with the most walks (92) in the league, so with its offense possessing the potential to generate that sort of traffic on the basepaths, lay the run and a half at plus money.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 8.5 (-114).
The Yankees walk and they also ground into double plays as their 23 GDPs is the most in the AL.
Meanwhile, LF Randy Arozarena, who led the Rays along with 1B Yandy Diaz last season in runs scored (95), is just 7 for 56 (.125 BA) in his last 15 Games and got the day off Thursday. The 2023 All-Star should eventually get hot, but it’s tough to see it happening this series.
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