On Friday night, the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees open up a weekend series in the Bronx. The Rays (6-8) are in fourth place in the American League East after losing in Boston, 7-3, on Wednesday. The Yankees (5-8) are in fifth place in the American League East, ½ game behind Tampa Bay, and have dropped two in a row to Oakland, including a 5-2 loss on Wednesday. The Rays and Yankees finish up their series against the Red Sox and the A’s on Thursday. Don’t forget to check out more MLB betting lines by clicking here.
MLB Betting Prediction on Tampa Bay at New York & TV Info
When: Friday, April 22, 2016, 7:05pm Eastern time
Where: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, NY
TV: YES, SUN
Radio: Tampa Bay / New YorkLive Stream: MLB.tvMLB Odds: TBA
Pitching Matchup: Matt Moore (1-0, 2.95 ERA) (TB) vs TBD (NY)
Why Should You Bet on Tampa Bay?
The Rays send Matt Moore to the mound on Friday night, and it is fairly clear that he is coming into his own after spending a lot of time working to fulfill his potential. He picked up his first win of the season on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, and his control has been superb all season long. At Yankee Stadium, Moore has a 4.66 lifetime ERA but has gone 3-1. Before they ran into the buzzsaw of Rick Porcello’s arm, the Rays had been beating the Red Sox. If their offense can revive a bit, Tampa Bay’s hopes will rise significantly over the coming weeks.
Why Should You Put Your Money on the Yankees?
I might bet on the Yankees with a 2.5 or 3-run line. Their starting rotation is in a bit of disarray, as they will be looking for a spot starter for Friday’s game and still have yet to name one at this writing. They also have seen their bats go quiet lately. They have lost six of seven after a good start, scoring just 15 runs in those games. They have not hit well at all in scoring position. They did get a home run by Carlos Beltran, in the eighth inning, but it was with the bases empty. Even the great A-Rod went down on a called third strike in the first. The Yankees need to rouse out of this offensive slumber if they want to grab a wild card again.
Expert Betting Pick and Final Score Prediction
I like the Rays to beat New York on Friday night behind Moore’s strong pitching. I’m predicting a 6-2 Tampa Bay win.
