MLB Odds: Yankees Battle Rays in Tampa
The New York Yankees are just a half-game up on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East as the two squads prepare to open a crucial three-game set with their Aces on the Tropicana Field mound.
Are the New York Yankees running out of steam in the American League East? MLB bettors should find out when the Yankees meet the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game series at Tropicana Field beginning on Monday night.
New York (87-56 SU, +0.52 units) has controlled the best division in baseball for most of the season, but it’s stumbling down the stretch withTampa Bay(86-56 SU, +7.64 units) on tap.
The Yanks lead the Rays by a mere half-game heading into Monday night’s opener (7:10 p.m. ET), and if recent results are any indication, expect Tampa Bay to take the reins in the AL East by the end of the three-gamer.
A long season that will include 54 games against the Rays, Red Sox, and Blue Jays by the end of the schedule is taking its toll on the veteran Yankees. New York was swept in a three-game set at Texas over the weekend, and has dropped six of its last seven against the money line.
The only Bronx bombing the Yankees have been doing is on the mound – particularly from their starters – and it’s starting to catch up to them. As I outlined in my preview of the recent New York-Texas series at Rangers Ballpark, the Yanks are getting next to nothing from either A.J. Burnett(10-13, 5.13 ERA) or Javier Vazquez (10-9, 5.09 ERA).
With Andy Pettitte (left groin strain) still on the 15-day disabled list, New York is down to relying on ace CC Sabathia (19-6, 3.14 ERA), at-his-innings-limit Phil Hughes (16-7, 4.26 ERA), and the talented-but-untested Ivan Nova (1-0, 2.92 ERA) for quality starts.
The good news for Yankees backers is neither Burnett or Vazquez will go against the Rays this week. Sabathia toes the rubber on Monday night against David Price (17-6, 2.87 ERA), Nova throws on Tuesday night (7:10 p.m. ET) opposite Matt Garza (14-8, 3.68 ERA), and Hughes takes the ball in a matchup with James Shields (13-12, 4.98 ERA) in Wednesday night’s series finale (7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Sabathia has a 2.53 ERA in three outings against Tampa Bay this season, but he’s coming off one of his roughest starts of the second half. The big lefthander allowed five runs over 6 1-3 innings in New York’s 6-2 loss to Baltimore last Tuesday.
The teams have played ‘over’ the listed total in 10 of 11 meetings this season, and look for the trend to continue on Monday night. Price has a 2.16 ERA at home this year, but he’s posted a 7.11 ERA in two starts against the Yankees.
Oddsmakers opened New York as -110 favorites for Monday night’s game, while Tampa Bay was released at +100 on the baseball betting odds board.
Like Price, Garza hasn’t had his best stuff against New York this season. Garza has a 5.14 ERA against New York for Tampa Bay, which is 4-1 against the MLB money line in his last five starts.
Shields has had the worst season of any Rays starter, but he could be throwing for a spot in the postseason on Wednesday night if only because how he’s done against the Yanks. Shields is 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in four outings against New York in 2010.
Hughes missed his scheduled start on Sunday as Joe Girardi aims to limit his innings before the playoffs, although he pitched in relief in last Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Rangers.
Hughes gave up six runs over six innings to take the loss in the Yankees’ 7-3 defeat at Toronto in his previous start on September 5, and has a 7.98 ERA in his last three trips to the hill.
New York could be without the services of both Nick Swisher (left knee) and Brett Gardner (wrist) this week. Swisher was held out in the Yanks’ 4-1 loss at Texas on Sunday, while Girardi is still keeping Gardner on the bench.
Tampa Bay has taken six of 11 from New York this season, including two of three at the Trop at the end of July. Overall, the teams have split the six meetings in Tampa Bay this season.
The New York Yankees are just a half-game up on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East as the two squads prepare to open a crucial three-game set with their Aces on the Tropicana Field mound.
Are the New York Yankees running out of steam in the American League East? MLB bettors should find out when the Yankees meet the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game series at Tropicana Field beginning on Monday night.
New York (87-56 SU, +0.52 units) has controlled the best division in baseball for most of the season, but it’s stumbling down the stretch withTampa Bay(86-56 SU, +7.64 units) on tap.
The Yanks lead the Rays by a mere half-game heading into Monday night’s opener (7:10 p.m. ET), and if recent results are any indication, expect Tampa Bay to take the reins in the AL East by the end of the three-gamer.
A long season that will include 54 games against the Rays, Red Sox, and Blue Jays by the end of the schedule is taking its toll on the veteran Yankees. New York was swept in a three-game set at Texas over the weekend, and has dropped six of its last seven against the money line.
The only Bronx bombing the Yankees have been doing is on the mound – particularly from their starters – and it’s starting to catch up to them. As I outlined in my preview of the recent New York-Texas series at Rangers Ballpark, the Yanks are getting next to nothing from either A.J. Burnett(10-13, 5.13 ERA) or Javier Vazquez (10-9, 5.09 ERA).
With Andy Pettitte (left groin strain) still on the 15-day disabled list, New York is down to relying on ace CC Sabathia (19-6, 3.14 ERA), at-his-innings-limit Phil Hughes (16-7, 4.26 ERA), and the talented-but-untested Ivan Nova (1-0, 2.92 ERA) for quality starts.
The good news for Yankees backers is neither Burnett or Vazquez will go against the Rays this week. Sabathia toes the rubber on Monday night against David Price (17-6, 2.87 ERA), Nova throws on Tuesday night (7:10 p.m. ET) opposite Matt Garza (14-8, 3.68 ERA), and Hughes takes the ball in a matchup with James Shields (13-12, 4.98 ERA) in Wednesday night’s series finale (7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Sabathia has a 2.53 ERA in three outings against Tampa Bay this season, but he’s coming off one of his roughest starts of the second half. The big lefthander allowed five runs over 6 1-3 innings in New York’s 6-2 loss to Baltimore last Tuesday.
The teams have played ‘over’ the listed total in 10 of 11 meetings this season, and look for the trend to continue on Monday night. Price has a 2.16 ERA at home this year, but he’s posted a 7.11 ERA in two starts against the Yankees.
Oddsmakers opened New York as -110 favorites for Monday night’s game, while Tampa Bay was released at +100 on the baseball betting odds board.
Like Price, Garza hasn’t had his best stuff against New York this season. Garza has a 5.14 ERA against New York for Tampa Bay, which is 4-1 against the MLB money line in his last five starts.
Shields has had the worst season of any Rays starter, but he could be throwing for a spot in the postseason on Wednesday night if only because how he’s done against the Yanks. Shields is 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in four outings against New York in 2010.
Hughes missed his scheduled start on Sunday as Joe Girardi aims to limit his innings before the playoffs, although he pitched in relief in last Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Rangers.
Hughes gave up six runs over six innings to take the loss in the Yankees’ 7-3 defeat at Toronto in his previous start on September 5, and has a 7.98 ERA in his last three trips to the hill.
New York could be without the services of both Nick Swisher (left knee) and Brett Gardner (wrist) this week. Swisher was held out in the Yanks’ 4-1 loss at Texas on Sunday, while Girardi is still keeping Gardner on the bench.
Tampa Bay has taken six of 11 from New York this season, including two of three at the Trop at the end of July. Overall, the teams have split the six meetings in Tampa Bay this season.
