The Tampa Bay Rays (98-61) and New York Yankees (91-68) open a three-game series Friday at Yankee Stadium to close the regular season. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let’s analyze the lines around the Rays vs. Yankees odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Season series: Rays lead 9-7
The Rays lost at the Houston Astros 3-2 Thursday following a 7-0 victory Wednesday. They are 1-2 on the first half of a six-game road trip.
The Yankees are 8-1 in their last nine games after topping the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 Thursday behind 5 home runs, including 2 by RF Aaron Judge. They wrapped up a 5-1 road trip, which started with a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox.
LHP Shane McClanahan is projected to start for the Rays Friday. The rookie, who made his MLB debut in last year’s playoffs, is 10-6 with a 3.44 ERA (120 1/3 IP, 46 ER), 1.28 WHIP, 10.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 24 starts this season.
- Last outing: Win, 5 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 K in 7-3 home victory vs Miami Marlins Saturday
- Career vs. Yankees (regular season): 0-2, 6.75 ERA (9 1/3 IP, 7 ER), 14 H, 5 BB, 12 K in two starts
LHP Nestor Cortes is projected to start for the Yankees. He is 2-2 with a 2.85 ERA (88 1/3 IP, 28 ER), 1.08 WHIP, 10.0 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 13 starts and eight relief appearances.
- Last outing: No-decision, 4 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 K in 5-3 win at Boston Saturday
- Career vs. Rays: 0-0, 4.41 ERA (16 1/3 IP, 8 ER), 14 H, 7 BB, 18 K in one start and five relief appearances
Rays at Yankees odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:05 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Rays +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Yankees -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Rays +1.5 (-180) | Yankees -1.5 (+145)
- Over/Under: 8.5 (O: -120 | U: -105)
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Prediction
Yankees 5, Rays 3
Money line (ML)
NEW YORK (-135) is the STRONGEST PLAY – 1½ times your usual wager.
With the AL’s No. 1 seed clinched, the Rays can take it easy.
That’s not the case for the Yankees, who hold a 2-game lead for the league’s No. 1 Wild Card with 3 games to go over Boston and the Seattle Mariners, who are both 89-70.
As mentioned, McClanahan is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts vs. the Yankees this season. Last year in two relief AL Division Series appearances vs. New York, the southpaw allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in 1 2/3 innings for a 5.40 ERA.
Cortes fared well in his one start vs. the Rays. He yielded just 1 run on 3 hits and 0 walks with 5 strikeouts in 5 innings of a no-decision, 3-1 Yankees road win in 10 innings July 28.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
ATS records: Rays 93-66 | Yankees 76-83
AVOID. The Rays feature the AL’s best ATS record and the majors’ second-best ATS mark (behind the San Francisco Giants’ 96-63).
The Yankees are under .500 when it comes to their ATS record.
However, with nothing on the line for Tampa Bay, this is a PASS.
Over/Under (O/U)
O/U records: Rays 82-69-8 | Yankees 68-86-5
BET UNDER 8.5 (-105) to WIN a HALF UNIT due to several Under trends.
- The Under is 41-34-3 at Yankee Stadium in 2021.
- The Under is 10-3 in Cortes’ starts.
- The Under is 14-9-1 in McClanahan’s starts, including 4-1 in his last five.
- Both of McClanahan’s starts vs. the Yankees cashed Under tickets in 4-3 Tampa Bay losses.
For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
| JOHNNY’S RECORD | W-L | SP | ROI |
| SINCE JULY 8 | 41-23 | 18-7 | +16.547 |
| *–SP: Strongest plays; ROI: Return on investment | |||
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