The Boston Red Sox came to Yankee Stadium this past week and delivered a three-game sweep over their longtime rivals. Those losses put the Yankees’ losing streak at eight games, their longest skid since 1995. They have lost nine of ten and have a record of 60-64, in dead last in the American League East. The last time the Yankees finished a season with a record below .500 was 1992 (76-86). The lowly Washington Nationals (57-68) come to Yankee Stadium for a midweek set, but then the Yankees go right back into the fire with a three-game series against Tampa Bay. The Rays (75-51) are in first place in the AL wild-card race and are 14 games ahead of New York in the East. Read on to find our MLB betting prediction for each game in this weekend series between Yankees vs Rays.
MLB Yankees vs Rays Betting Lines
» August 25-27, 2023
Gerrit Cole (Yankees) vs Zach Eflin (Rays)
When: Friday, August 25 at 6:40 pm ET
Where: Tropicana Field, Petersburg, FL
TV/Streaming: MLB.tv
Projected Pitching Matchup: Gerrit Cole (10-4, 3.03 ERA) (NY) vs Zach Eflin (13-7, 3.58 ERA) (TB)
Gerrit Cole’s ERA for the month of August is now 5.25, and he has two losses in his last three starts. Against the White Sox (on August 7) and the Red Sox (on Saturday), he allowed 10 runs on 12 hits over just 11 combined innings, permitting three home runs. He struck out seven and walked three in those starts; against Boston on Saturday, he only made it through four innings. The good news for Yankees fans is that after starts in which Cole has allowed four or more earned runs this season, in his next start, he has only allowed more than two earned runs once, so he should be back in form.
Zach Eflin has allowed no more than one earned run in three of his four August starts, throwing 19 combined innings against the Yankees, Cardinals and Angels and permitting just two earned runs while striking out 12 in those outings. The problem came on August 13, when Cleveland pounded him for six runs on nine hits, including a pair of home runs, over just three innings in a 9-2 rout. The Yankee bats are not producing right now, and Eflin has the stuff to keep them scuffling. Rays to win.
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Clarke Schmidt (Yankees) vs Tyler Glasnow (Rays)
When: Saturday, August 26 at 4:10 pm ET
Where: Tropicana Field, Petersburg, FL
TV/Streaming: MLB.tv
Projected Pitching Matchup: Clarke Schmidt (8-7, 4.68 ERA) (NY) vs Tyler Glasnow (6-4, 3.35 ERA) (TB)
Clarke Schmidt pitched well enough to win in three of his four starts this month, but he only got a victory on August 8 in Chicago. On Sunday, he only allowed a pair of runs on four hits over 5 ⅔ innings against Goston, but the bullpen let things get away in a 6-5 loss. He struck out eight and walked just two. He did get shelled for eight runs on nine hits in just 2 ⅓ innings against the Braves on August 14, but the Braves have been shelling everyone.
Tyler Glasnow had a six-start string going where he allowed no more than two earned runs until Saturday, when the Angels lit up him up for seven runs (five earned) on eight hits, including a home run, over six innings in a 7-6 loss. Before that, he had gotten the win in four of his last five starts. It’s hard to see Glasnow getting hit hard in two straight starts, so I see him outpitching Schmidt. Rays to win.
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Carlos Rodon (Yankees) vs Zack Littell (Rays)
When: Sunday, August 27 at 1:40 pm ET
Where: Tropicana Field, Petersburg, FL
TV/Streaming: MLB.tv
Projected Pitching Matchup: Carlos Rodon (1-4, 7.33 ERA) (NY) vs Zack Littell (2-4, 4.27 ERA) (TB)
Things have gotten even worse for Carlos Rodon since the calendar turned to August. He has an unsightly 12.15 ERA over two starts, allowing nine runs on seven hits, including four home runs, over just 6 ⅔ innings in losses to Tampa Bay and Houston. He missed his last start after having to go on the injured list with a hamstring, but he has been activated Tuesday and will start against Washington. Before you bet heavy on this game, check out Rodon’s numbers to see if you should back him.
Zack Littell moved from the Rays’ bullpen to the starting rotation on July 30, and he’s been serviceable in that role. He has only allowed more than three earned runs in any start once, although that came on Tuesday as he allowed four runs on seven hits over 5 ⅓ innings against Colorado. If the Yankees are going to break through against any of these three starters, Littell is the most likely. However, Rodon may not be able to keep the game close enough. For this game, take the over.
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AL East Standings
Yankees vs Rays
| Updated at August 23th | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | % | GB | STRK | HOME | AWAY |
| Orioles | 78 | 47 | .616 | – | L1 | 36-24 | 41-24 |
| Rays | 76 | 51 | .598 | 2.0 | W2 | 41-22 | 35-29 |
| Blue Jays | 70 | 56 | .556 | 7.5 | W3 | 32-27 | 38-29 |
| Red Sox | 66 | 60 | .524 | 11.5 | L2 | 35-28 | 31-32 |
| Yankees | 60 | 65 | .480 | 17.0 | L9 | 35-32 | 25-33 |
W: Wins | L: Losses | %: Winning Percentage | GB: Games Behind | STRK: Current Streak | HOME: Record at Home | AWAY: Record When Away
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