The Yankees once owned a huge lead in the AL East, but the Rays have cut it in half, heading into this three-game divisional series in St Pete starting Friday night. Lefty Jeffrey Springs gets the call for Tampa Bay here against Domingo German for New York.
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MLB Betting Odds
Friday’s baseball betting lines opened Tampa Bay at around -120 over New York, with an over/under of seven runs. Early betting action then raised the Rays a dime to -130.
Yankees-Rays MLB Betting Preview
New York just dropped two of three games at the Angels, losing Wednesday’s series finale 3-2. The Yankees then had Thursday off.
Just before that, the Yanks lost the last two games of a four-game series at Oakland. So New York is 0-1-1 over its last two series and 1-4 over its last five games.
Tampa Bay just swept two games at Miami, winning Wednesday’s series finale 2-1 in 10 innings. The Rays then also had Thursday off.
Just before that, Tampa lost two of three at Boston, but just before that, it swept four games from the Angels. Going back a bit further, the Rays are 5-1 over their last six series and 14-4 over their last 18 games.
At 79-52 overall, the Yankees lead the AL East now by just six games over 72-57 Tampa Bay. New York also now trails Houston by five games in the battle for the best record in the American League.
The Rays, meanwhile, are also tied for the lead in the AL wild-card race with Seattle.
The Yankees lead the season series with Tampa eight games to five.
Friday’s Pitching Match-Up
Springs is just 3/18 on quality starts this season, but he ain’t been bad as of late. Last Saturday, he got touched by Boston for five runs and eight hits through six innings of a 5-1 Tampa loss. But over his four starts previous to that, he allowed just six runs – four earned – and 15 hits through 21 2/3 innings, with six walks and 25 strikeouts.
The Rays are 12-6 with Springs this season, and that’s about what they should be, based on his performances.
Over two career starts against the Yankees, both earlier this season, Springs allowed just three runs and seven hits through 11 innings, with one walk against ten whiffs. Tampa split those two games, and both games played under their totals.
German is 3/8 on quality starts this year, working off two in a row. Last Saturday, he held Oakland scoreless on three hits through 7 2/3 innings, although New York eventually lost that game 3-2 in 11 innings. And just before that, he held the Mets to one earned run through 6 1/3 innings of a 4-2 Yankees win.
New York is only 3-5 with German this season, but that’s at least a game or two worse than it should be.
Over his last three starts against the Rays, two last season and one a couple of weeks ago, German gave up ten runs and 16 hits, including four home runs, through 13 2/3 innings. The Yankees won two of those three games.
Splits With the Sticks
New York is batting .247 against left-handed pitching this season, with a .330 team OBP and a .454 team slugging percentage. The Yankees have also been held to three runs or less five times over their last six games.
Tampa is slashing .238/.310/.383 against right-handed pitching. The Rays have also scored at least seven runs five times over their last eight games.
The Bullpens
The Tampa Bay bullpen owns a 3.35 ERA this season, along with a 1.18 WHIP.
The New York pen owns a 2.97 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.
- Get more details: Yankees vs. Rays 9/2/22 Betting Stats
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MLB Betting Trends
The Yankees are 34-32 on the road this season and 24-14 against left-handed starters.
The Rays are 42-23 at home and 52-43 against right-handed starters.
Totals Report
- The Under is 67-60 in Yankees games this season.
- The Under is 60-59 in Rays games.
- The Under is 31-30 at Tropicana Field this season.
- The Under is a combined 17-5 with Springs and German this season.
