The Tampa Bay Rays (26-6) will aim to keep their historical start to the season going when they host the New York Yankees (17-15 in the first matchup of their three-game series on Friday, May 5.
- Yankees vs Rays Game Info
- Yankees vs Rays Odds & Spread
- Yankees vs Rays Betting Trends
- Yankees vs Rays Prediction & Pick
- Yankees vs Rays Best Bet
Yankees vs Rays Game Info
- Date: Friday, May 5, 2023
- Time: 6:40 PM ET
- Venue: Tropicana Field — St. Petersburg, Florida
- Coverage: BSSUN
The Rays were expected to be a contender in the AL East, but it's safe to say no one saw this start to the season coming from the Tampa Bay squad. Manager Kevin Cash's team is a whopping 20 games over the .500 mark and has a chance to keep the momentum going against one of its rivals on Friday.
Yankees vs Rays Odds & Spread
- Moneyline:'NYY: (+152) | TB: (-180)
- Spread:'NYY: +1.5 (-142) | TB: -1.5 (+118)
- Total:'8.5 — Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)
The Rays enter this contest as notable home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 6:40 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 8.5 runs with the over being favored at -115 odds.
Yankees vs Rays Betting Trends
- The Yankees are 2-5 straight up in their last seven away games.
- The total has hit the under in four of the Yankees' last five games.
- Tampa Bay is 15-5 straight up in its last 20 games against an AL opponent.
- The total has hit the under in six of Tampa Bay's last nine home games against t he Yankees.
Yankees vs Rays Prediction & Pick
The Rays are a dazzling 17-2 at home this season and it's not just because they thrive at one part of the game. Tampa Bay enters Friday night ranked first in team ERA (2.20) and third in runs (6.16) during home games. On the other side, the Yankees rank just 22nd in runs per away game this year (4.23).
New York will look to get back on track with rookie Jhony Brito on the mound. The 25-year-old has been shaky so far this campaign, logging a 2-3 record to go along with a 5.56 ERA across six starts. Fooling hitters early on will be vital for the young pro given how easily t he Rays can rack up runs.
I just don't see that happening for Brito given the Rays lead the majors when it comes to first inning runs per game (0.94). Tampa Bay starter Yonny Chirinos has posted an impressive 0.64 ERA across 14.0 innings of work and is backed up by a stellar Rays bullpen that ranks first in terms of ERA (2.75).
Final Score Prediction:'Yankees: 4 | Rays: 6
Yankees vs Rays Best Bet
Backing the Rays with moneyline odds set at -180 means a large wager would be needed to secure a reasonab le profit. That's why shifting gears to the spread is a logical move to make. After all, the Rays have emerged victorious by at least 2 runs in 13 of their 19 home games this season. Each of the Yankees' last three road losses have all come by a margin of at least 2 runs as well. Trust Tampa Bay.