MLB Rays vs Yankees Odds and Prediction for Wednesday’s Game

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No doubt the marquee pitching matchup around Major League Baseball on Wednesday is from the Bronx as AL Cy Young favorites Gerrit Cole of the Yankees and Shane McClanahan of the Rays face off with the Yanks as short favorites on the MLB odds.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees | 2023 MLB Expert Analysis

MLB Week 17: Monday July 31 – Sunday August 6, 2023

How to Bet Tampa Bay at New York MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 7:05 PM ET
Where: Yankee Stadium
Probable pitchers (away/home): Shane McClanahan/Gerrit Cole
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: Yankees -130, Rays +110 (total 8)

Why Bet on Tampa Bay?

The Rays made two trades this week in landing starting pitcher Aaron Civale from Cleveland and pitchers Adrian Sampson and Manuel Rodriguez from the Cubs. Rodriguez will report straight to Triple-A. Sampson has not pitched in the majors this season, primarily because of a right knee injury that required a cleanup procedure in May, but he registered a 3.11 ERA over 19 starts and two relief appearances for the Cubs during the 2022 campaign. He probably goes to Triple-A as well but may help the bullpen down the stretch. Another reliever, Andrew Kittredge (elbow), has thrown 8.2 innings on his rehab assignment and is hoping to return in mid-to-late August.

All-Star first baseman Yandy Diaz has reached base safely in each of his last 19 games vs. the Yankees (since 6/21/22), batting .338 (24-for-71) with 11R, 5 doubles, 2HR, 15RBI, 9BB and 2HP in that span. He has hit safely in each of his last eight games vs. the Yankees (since 5/5/23), batting .357 (10-for-28) with 8R, 2 doubles, 2HR, 7RBI, 3BB and 2HP in that span.

Over his last six games overall, Brandon Lowe is hitting .435/.480/.957 (10-for-23) with 6R, 4HR, 9RBI, 1BB, 1HP and 1SB in that span. He is hitting .286 (16-for56) with 9R, 3 doubles, 5HR, 11RBI, 5BB, 2HP and 1SB in 16 games since the All-Star break.

It’s ace lefty Shane McClanahan (11-1) on the mound Wednesday. McClanahan did not factor into the decision last Friday, allowing three runs on eight hits over five innings against the Astros. He struck out six without issuing a walk. McClanahan got 17 swinging strikes on 86 pitches in the game — nine on his changeup alone — while posting a CSW of 33 percent. Jose Abreu’s homer in the fourth inning accounted for two of the three runs against McClanahan, who is looking for his first win since June 16. He brings a 3.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 118/41 K/BB ratio (111 innings) into this one.

McClanahan pitched at Yankee Stadium on May 13 in a no-decision. He entered that game 7-0 with a 1.76 ERA and had not allowed more than two runs in his first eight starts but gave up four runs, four hits and four walks in four-plus innings.

McClanahan is now 1-3 with a 3.93 ERA (34.1IP, 15ER) in seven career starts opposite the Yankees, including 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA (16.1IP, 10ER) in four starts at Yankee Stadium.

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Why Bet on New York?

It was thought that Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson was done for the year, but maybe not. The former AL MVP took batting practice and fielded grounders Monday and is hoping to return at some point in mid-September. Donaldson was moved to the 60-day injured list July 20 after being diagnosed with a high-grade right calf strain. The team also sent Willie Calhoun down to Triple-A this week. The 28-year-old former top prospect had slashed .239/.309/.403 with five homers and 16 RBI through 44 major-league games this season for New York.

Jake Bauers has been one of the hottest Yankees hitters of late and accounted for the only run Monday vs. the Rays with a solo homer in the second inning. A total of 11 of his last 15 hits (since 6/16) and 20 of his last 28 hits (since 5/23) have gone for extra bases (13 doubles, 7HR). Over his last 33 games (since 5/29), Bauers posted a .571 slugging percentage.

Aaron Judge is batting .341/.442/.841 (15-for-44) with 17R, 1 double, 7HR, 9RBI and 8BB in the first inning this year. His .341 BA in the first inning is the fourth-highest in the AL and eighth-highest in the Majors. His 10 game-winning RBI are tied for the fifth-most in the AL (tied for seventh in the Majors).

It’s ace right-hander and AL Cy Young favorite Gerrit Cole (9-2) on the mound. Cole did not factor into the decision last Friday, allowing three hits over seven scoreless innings against the Orioles. He struck out five. Cole notched his first outing with at least seven scoreless innings since his complete-game shutout versus Minnesota on April 16 but he didn’t get the win. Cole has been spectacular of late, posting a 2.20 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 36:5 K:BB while completing at least six innings in five straight games.

“I just try to keep it really simple, and try to do my job every single time,” Cole said recently. “I’m going out there, trying to throw as many innings as I can, empty the tank every time, and give my team a chance to win.”

He has not allowed more than three runs in an outing since May 28, a span of 10 sparkling starts. Cole has struggled this year with the Rays as he has a 6.30 ERA in two starts against them but no decisions. He had an ERA under 2.00 against them in four starts in 2022.

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Expert Prediction

Yankees 4, Rays 3

AL East: Updated August 2nd

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