ODDS ANALYSIS
The top two teams in the AL East meet for the second time in a week when the Rays visit the Yankees for a three-game set. Tampa Bay won five of six games over two series after being swept by the Yanks in the Trop last week. The Rays are up 3.38 units on the moneyline entering this series and are a good play on the runline at 12-7 in the black 6.01 units. Their humbling sweep at the hands of the Yanks included a 9-0 thrashing in a game Jake Odorizzi started.
Scoring better than five runs a game with 26 home runs through 19 games the Yankees have been money on the over going 13-5-1. They cashed the over in the final two games against the Mets and went over the total in all three games against the Rays last week. Following a sluggish start the Yankees posted wins in eight of 10 ending with a Subway Series win over the Mets on Sunday. Over that span the Yanks were up 6.72 units on the moneyline and in the black 3.01 units through their first 19 games.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Tampa Bay’s Jake Odorizzi (2-1, 1.65 ERA) came through with his fourth straight quality start Thursday when he held the Red Sox to one run in 6.2 innings. He allowed three hits, walked three and struck out three without a decision in a 2-1 Rays win.
Odorizzi allowed five hits and three runs with two walks and nine strikeouts in six innings against the Yankees on Apr. 18 getting saddled with his first loss of the season in a game the Yanks won 9-0. He is 2-2 in his career against the Yankees, including a 1-1 mark with a 5.82 ERA at Yankee Stadium.
Chase Whitley (0-0, NA) will be summoned from Triple-A as the Yankees utilize a sixth starter for the first time this year giving Masahiro Tanaka an extra day of rest. In three starts at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Whitley is 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA.
Whitley started 12 of 24 games last season going 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA and 1.48 WHIP giving up 94 hits with 60 strikeouts in 75.2 innings. His only two appearances against the Rays came on consecutive days when he pitched four scoreless innings with one hit and four strikeouts in relief.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“It’s pretty amazing when you think about it, 660 home runs, that’s a lot of home runs. Obviously you hope it comes tomorrow and you hope there are a couple of guys on when he hits it. That’s what you hope for but he’s been a big part of our offense this first month and we need it to continue.” – Yankees manager Joe Girardi on Alex Rodriguez
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
The Rays get their first series in an open-air stadium when they visit Yankee Stadium for this three-game set. Tampa Bay has played 12 games inside the Trop and their two road trips were at Miami and Toronto. No major league team has ever gone this far into season playing all its games under a roof so it’ll be interesting to see how they deal with the elements. They’re also facing Chase Whitley as a starter for the first time. Whitley made two appearances against Tampa Bay last season in relief but few Rays remain from those meetings. Look for Whitley to have some success the first time through the lineup and expect the Rays to get to the young righty the second time around.
PROP TALK
Rays third baseman Evan Longoria enters as the hottest player in baseball after ending the weekend series with Toronto with hits in seven consecutive at-bats. Longo had 11 hits during a five-game winning streak raising his average from .186 to .306. Though the power numbers aren’t there with only one home run through 18 games, Longoria has seemingly found his stroke and the long ball follows. He’s a .290 career hitter at Yankee Stadium and is hitless in two at-bats against Yankees starter Chase Whitley. But when you’re in a zone it doesn’t matter who’s on the hill. Longo gets a few hits Tuesday to spark the Rays offense.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Rays have been good against every team not called the Yankees so that doesn’t bode well for them in this series. The Rays were swept at home last week by New York and now get a hot team that is crushing the ball. But the Rays have been hot as well entering the series with five straight wins and a sweep of the Blue Jays. Evan Longoria has started to hit with his outburst coinciding with the teams winning streak.
The Yankees have certainly been living up to the legendary nickname of Bronx Bombers led by Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Tex enters the series with eight homers, one behind leader Nelson Cruz, and ARod hits his 659th career long ball Sunday. The Yankees scored 19 runs in a sweep of the Rays from Apr. 16-18 and hit better at Yankee Stadium. They face talented righty Jake Odorizzi Tuesday and that could be a problem for the Yanks even though they tagged him for three runs in their last meeting. He’ll limit the Yanks Tuesday and the Rays will get enough offense off Chase Whitley to get the victory.
Tampa Bay 6, New York 4
The MLB lines for this contest will first be released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, player props and inning totals. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the Tampa Bay Rays versus the New York Yankees will commence Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at 7:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
