After taking the first game of this three-game AL East affair in St. Pete Tuesday, the Yankees shoot for the series victory Wednesday night. New York is trying to stay alive in the American League playoff race while Tampa Bay is trying to track down a division title. Michael Wacha and his 5.16 ERA get the call for the home team here against lefty Nestor Cortes, Jr. for the visitors. How are we playing this game with our free baseball betting pick?
MLB Betting Odds
On Wednesday’s baseball betting board Tampa opened at around -140 over New York, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. Early betting action then dipped the Rays about 15 cents, to -125.
Yankees-Rays MLB Betting Preview
New York grabbed Game 1 of this series Tuesday night 4-3. The Yankees led that game 3-0 into the bottom of the sixth, let Tampa get within 3-2, tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, and hung on from there for the victory and the cash as +120 betting underdogs.
Tuesday’s game also played under a total of 7.5 runs.
Over the weekend, New York lost three of four games at Boston, but the Yanks won four series in a row prior to that. So New York is 11-6 over its last 17 games.
The Rays, meanwhile, took three of four at Cleveland over the weekend. So Tampa is 4-0-1 over its last five series and 12-5 over its previous 17 games.
At 60-41 overall, the Rays trail the first-place Red Sox by two games in the AL East and lead the American League wild-card race by 4.5 games over second-place Oakland.
At 52-47 overall, the Yanks sit nine games out in the divisional race but only 2.5 games behind the A’s in the battle for that second AL wild-card spot. So they’re not dead yet.
Tampa leads this season’s series eight games to six.
Wednesday’s Pitching Match-Up
Wacha is just 2/12 on quality starts this season, to go along with five appearances in relief. Last Wednesday, he gave up three runs and six hits, including two home runs, through five innings of a 5-4 Tampa win over Baltimore. And just before that, he gave up four runs and two homers through four frames of a 7-6 Rays win over Atlanta.
The Rays are 9-3 with Wacha this season, but that mark’s at least three games better than it should be.
Over three appearances already this season against the Yankees, Wacha allowed four runs and five hits through 11 2/3 innings. Tampa won his only start against New York back on April 8-2.
Cortes is 0/2 on quality starts this year, to go along with eight appearances in relief, but he’s been very good. Last Friday, he gave up three runs in two innings of relief against Boston, but over his eight appearances before that, he allowed just two runs and 12 hits through 22 innings, with six walks against 28 strikeouts.
The Yanks are 2-0 when Cortes starts this season.
This will be Cortes’ first career start against the Rays.
Splits With the Sticks
New York is batting .227 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .317 team OBP and a .381 team slugging percentage.
Tampa Bay is slashing .227/.305/.378 against left-handed pitching this season.
- Get more details: Yanks vs. Rays 7/28/21 Game Matchup Stats
The Bullpens
The Yankees bullpen owns a 3.82 ERA this season, along with a 1.21 WHIP and a 2.84 K/BB ratio.
The Rays pen owns a 3.14 ERA, which ranks No. 2 in Baseball, along with a 1.13 WHIP, which ranks No. 2, and a 3.37 K/BB ratio, which ranks No. 1.
MLB Betting Trends
- The Yankees are 25-24 on the road this season.
- The Rays are 30-19 at home.
- The Yankees are 35-29 against right-handed starters.
- The Rays are 23-18 against left-handed starters.
Totals Report
Unders are 54-42 in Yankees games this season.
Overs are 54-44 in Rays games.
Unders are 25-24 in games played at Tropicana Field.
Totals are split 7-7 in Yankees-Rays games this season.
