Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees
The Tampa Bay Rays will enter play with a record of 65-44, trailing the Orioles by 1.5 games in the AL East while holding onto the number one seed in the AL Wildcard.
The Rays got off to a historic start this season as they began the year 13-0. Since that win streak, they're eight games over the .500 mark.
Having been one of the best offenses in baseball, Tampa is ranked fourth in baseball in runs per game (5.19), backed by a handful of productive offensive weapons.
- Wander Franco has been one of the stars of the Rays, and with Franco at the helm, Tampa feels they will be competitive for a long time.
- Yandy Diaz has been the breakout star of this Rays team and has always been a solid player, but he has taken a massive leap forward this season. Diaz earned himself a trip to Seattle for the All-Star game, sporting a batting average of .318.
- Isaac Paredes has been the best power source for the Rays, leading the team with 21 home runs.
- Jose Siri is right on the heels of Paredes as he ranks second on the team in home runs with 20. Siri has also played a stellar center field for the Rays.
The Rays began the series with a 5-1 win over the Yankees last night and are now expected to be buyers at the deadline and could add some crucial pieces to their lineup before tonight's game begins.
From a pitching perspective, Zach Eflin will toe the rubber for the Rays. The Florida native inked a three-year $40-million-dollar contract with the Rays in the offseason.
Eflin has been outstanding to this stage in the season, posting a record of 11-6 with an ERA of 3.64.
On the other side of this game, the Yankees have been seen as one of the most disappointing teams in baseball and will begin play tonight with a record of 55-51, trailing the Orioles by 10 games in the AL East.
The easiest path to the playoffs for the Yankees will be the Wild Card. It will still be an uphill battle, but the Yankees trail the Blue Jays by 3.5 games for the final Wild Card spot.
The million-dollar question becomes - what will the Yankees do at 6 PM ET today?
Based on numbers, it would suggest that the Yankees should be sellers, but we are talking about the New York Yankees here. We rarely see this team sell at the deadline.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is a name that is currently being thrown out in trade rumors. IKF has the best batting average on the team of anyone who has played a minimum of eighty games (.257). Additionally, he possesses one of the best gloves in baseball.
Aaron Judge returned over the weekend, which is a massive boost for this Yankees lineup, as the Yankees are 24-30 in games without Judge this season.
Judge, who is coming off of a historic MVP season, is the heartbeat of this team. The Yankees will need Judge to stay healthy and produce at a high level over the next two months if they want to make a run.
Anthony Rizzo continues to struggle this season, batting just .244 with 12 home runs.
Rizzo, who is often listed as one of the best first basemen in the game, has looked like a shell of himself in 2023.
The Yankees will enter play tonight ranked 29th in baseball in batting average (.230). Only the Oakland Athletics are worse (.223).
New York has also struck out 30 times in the last two games.
The one positive for the Yankees' offense has been the home run ball. New York ranks tied fifth in baseball in home runs (146).
On the other hand, Pitching has been the strength of this New York team, headlined by ace Gerrit Cole.
Overall the Yankees rank 10th in baseball in team ERA (3.92) and have the best bullpen in baseball, supporting an ERA of 3.10.
Carlos Rodon will get the ball for New York tonight. Rodon signed in the off-season with New York after being an all-star in 2022 with the San Francisco Giants. Rodon is 1-3 with an ERA of 5.75 on the year.
Betting Pick: New York Yankees ML (-105, DraftKings)
Rodon looked sharp his last time out vs. the Mets, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing just one run. He struggled early after returning from the DL, but this is a guy that is simply too talented not to turn a corner.
Having thrown the ball well in a limited sample size vs. the Rays lineup, Tampa Bay is batting just .235 in 17 at-bats vs. Rodon.
He also has drastic splits this year, sporting an ERA of 2.45 at home compared to 9.64 on the road.
Similarly to Rodon, Eflin has some drastic splits of his own. Eflin has pitched to a 2.60 ERA at home compared to an ERA of 5.36 on the road.
Eflin has a record of 10-2 in Tampa Bay but is just 1-5 away from the sunshine state. The numbers suggest that his road woes continue tonight.
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