New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction and Betting Odds August 16
New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview
WagerTalk MLB handicapper Andy Lang offers his analysis of Tuesday’s New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays clash at Yankee Stadium. Despite last night’s loss, the Yankees have won seven of 11 matchups between these two teams this season.
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| Tuesday, August 16 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | New York Yankees -172 vs Tampa Bay Rays +145 |
| Runline: | Yankees -1.5 (+120) / Rays +1.5 (-140) |
| Total: | 8.5 Runs (Over -120 / Under -100) |
| Game Time: | 7:05pm ET / 4:05pm PT |
| Where: | Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY |
| Weather: | 70 Degrees / 50% Chance of Rain |
New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Analysis
The Tampa Bay Rays prepare for the second of three games in the Bronx against the New York Yankees. The Yankees were blanked 4-0 last night, dropping their 10th game in twelve tries.
The Rays are now locked in a three-way tie with the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays for the three available Wild Card spots. The Yanks still have what seems like an insurmountable lead in the American League East.
Reliever turned starter Jeffrey Springs will get the nod for Tampa Bay, while the southpaw Nestor Cortes toes the rubber for New York. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM EST/4:10 PST.
Tampa Takes Game One
The Tampa Bay Rays find themselves immersed in a three way tie for the Wild Card spots in the American League. They shut down the potent Yankees lineup in yesterday’s 4-0 triumph.
It was a bullpen game for the Rays as Jalen Beeks opened and Ryan Yarbrough earned his win with four scoreless innings, making him 1-7 on the season. Yandy Diaz went 2-5 from the leadoff spot with a double and two RBI.
After winning their third straight game the Rays record improved to 61-53. The Tampa offensive attack hasn’t been very impressive on the season as they rank only 23rd in runs scored and 25th in OPS.
Jeffrey Springs has turned himself into a solid starter after starting the season in the bullpen. He is 4-3 on the season with a 2.56 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Springs has been sharp in his last three outings holding opponents to only five runs on 14 hits across 16 innings of work.
Yanks Continue To Slide
Lucky for them, the New York Yankees built a ridiculous lead in the American League East during the first half of this campaign. At 72-44 they still have a 10 game cushion, despite losing 10 of their last 12 games and their last four series.
The Yanks got blanked for the second straight game in yesterday’s 4-0 defeat. Gerrit Cole did his part with six innings of one run baseball but took the loss. Anthony Rizzo had the teams only extra-base hit with a double and Gleyber Torres had two singles.
The Bronx Bombers lineup can’t be held down forever as they rank 3rd in both slugging and on-base percentage. Nestor Cortes will be looking to right the Yankees ship on Tuesday evening. He is 9-3 on the season with a 2.67 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 118 innings of work.
New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
The New York Yankees are favored with a money line set at -170, while the Tampa Bay Rays sit at +145 with a total of 7.5. Both teams are heading in opposite directions but it’s only a matter of time before the Bombers get back on track, their lineup is simply to talented.
New York has a 7-3 edge over Tampa Bay in their head-to-head season series. The Rays have had their woes away from with a 25-31 road record, while the Yanks have been dominant at home with a 41-15 record at Yankee Stadium.
The New York money line is through the roof and I have an alternative to the run line. Let’s drink the -135 juice on the Yankees team total of 3.5, you need a minimum of two runs to cash the run and that would be if Cortes & company pitched a shutout.
I like the Bronx Bombers chances to bust out of their slump and score four or more against what amounts to a bullpen game for Tampa Bay.
Prediction: New York Yankees Team Total Over 3.5 -135
First Pitch | MLB Predictions for Tuesday, August 16
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WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the MLB moneylines, run lines and betting percentages for all of Tuesday’s baseball games, including this New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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