Two teams in hot pursuit of the Boston Red Sox in the American League East race do battle this week as the New York Yankees kick off a three-game set in St. Petersburg against the Tampa Bay Rays. The teams have already played two series this season, with the Rays (19-17 SU, 20-16 O/U) taking five of six games from the Yankees (18-16 SU, 13-21 O/U).
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
We’ve seen slight movement on both the moneyline and the total, with the Yankees moving from -120 into the -125 to -130 range at most sportsbooks and the O/U of 8.5 dipping a half-point.
Starting Pitchers Analysis
Yankees southpaw Jordan Montgomery (1-1, 4.41 ERA) will be looking to get right after struggling in his two previous starts against the Rays. He allowed four runs in back-to-back turns April 11 and 17, giving him an unsightly 6.55 ERA with four home runs allowed in just 11 innings vs Tampa Bay. Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena has taken Montgomery deep twice in just seven career at-bats.
Rays counterpart Luis Patino (1-0, 1.17 ERA) has looked sensational in his first taste of major-league action. The No. 2-ranked prospect in the organization per MLB.com, Patino has held opponents to just three hits while fanning 10 and walking only one over his 7.2 innings of work. He’ll likely be limited to 50 to 60 pitches Tuesday, with Ryan Yarbrough likely to work behind him.
New York News & Notes
The Yankees might feature one of the most imposing lineups in the majors on paper, but they haven’t done much against the Rays so far this season, having been held to three or fewer runs in four of the first six meetings.
In fact, four of the five Yankee hitters with the most at-bats against the Rays are batting below .140, making just about any New York hitter a major daily fantasy risk here.
Tampa Bay News & Notes
Could another encounter with Montgomery be just the thing to invigorate Arozarena? He has stumbled mightily in May, batting just .192 with no home runs and just one RBI in 26 at-bats.
On the plus side, he appears to have rediscovered his patience, drawing seven walks in eight games this month after picking up just six free passes for the entire month of April.
Betting Pick: Tampa Bay (+110)
Bettors are getting terrific odds on the home team here; between their head-to-head dominance in 2021, Patino’s sensational stuff and Montgomery’s struggles against them, the Rays are a strong pick here.
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