The New York Yankees would like nothing better than to overtake the Houston Astros for the best record in the American League. To do so, however, they will need to turn around their recent fortunes when they battle the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of their series on Tuesday. The Yankees (72-44) have lost five of six, but have won five of the last seven meetings against the Rays (61-53). New York has scored the second-most runs in MLB with 596, while Tampa Bay is 23rd with 468.
The game is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. ET from Yankee Stadium in New York. The Yankees are tied for 16th in MLB with a .243 team batting average, while Tampa Bay is tied for 21st with a .238 mark. The Yankees are a -170 favorite on the money line in the latest Rays vs. Yankees odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total runs scored is seven. Before making any Yankees vs. Rays picks, be sure to check out the latest MLB predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, and it is a 300-260 on top-rated MLB money-line picks since the start of the 2021 season. This is the same model that pegged the 2021 Atlanta Braves at 10-1 as one of three best bets to win it all last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Yankees vs. Rays and revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see all of the model's MLB picks. Here are several MLB odds and trends for Rays vs. Yankees:
- Yankees vs. Rays money line: Tampa Bay +143, New York -170
- Yankees vs. Rays over-under: seven runs
- Yankees vs. Rays run line: Yankees -1.5 (+135)
- TB: The Rays are 5-1 in their last six games against a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15
- NY: The Yankees are 39-14 in their last 53 home games
- Yankees vs. Rays picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back the Yankees
The Yankees have the third-best team ERA in the Major Leagues as they send one of their better starters to the mound in left-hander Nestor Cortes (9-3, 2.67 ERA). Although he has run into some bad luck, he still has won two of his last five starts. Against the Seattle Mariners in his last start, Cortes was impressive, allowing just three hits while striking out 10 over six innings. For the season, he has 125 strikeouts against just 29 walks.
Catcher Jose Trevino has been on a tear for New York, with hits in each of his last three games and in eight of nine. Since Aug. 1, he is 12-for-38 (.316) with a double, three homers and six RBI. In seven games against the Rays this season, he has one homer and three RBI. He has had some success against Tampa Bay in his career with one double, one homer and four RBI in 14 games. He has also walked eight times.
Why you should back the Rays
Despite the Yankees' success against Tampa Bay, the Rays have held their own since 2020, going 26-19 overall against New York. Taking the hill for Tampa Bay will be left-hander Jeffrey Springs (4-3, 2.56 ERA), who has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last six appearances. In his last outing, a 4-3 loss at Milwaukee, Springs was sharp, allowing just two earned runs on four hits in five innings of work. For the year, Springs has walked 18, while striking out 91.
Offensively, left fielder Randy Arozarena has been on a tear of late, with hits in four of the past five games. He went 4-for-11 with a double, two homers and six RBI with three runs scored in the weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles. For his career, he has shown some power against the Yankees, registering five doubles, four homers and 13 RBI. He has also walked 11 times and stolen eight bases on 10 attempts.
How to make Rays vs. Yankees picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting 8.1 combined runs, and it says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the MLB model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Yankees vs. Rays? And which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
