2020-08-31 19:05:00 EDT
The Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees meet Monday in MLB action from Yankee Stadium.
This will be the opening installment of a three-game set between these American League East rivals. The Rays are coming out of a weekend set versus the Marlins. Tampa Bay won the first two games via shutout 2-0 and 4-0. In the Sunday finale, the Rays took the sweep with a 12-7 result. Over on the Yankees’ side, they just finished up a weekend set versus the Mets. The Yankees dropped the opening doubleheader 6-4 and 4-3 in that one, but won 2-1 Saturday. In the Sunday doubleheader finale, the Yankees staged a ridiculous comeback in game one with an 8-7 win, and won the series 3-2 with a late surge in a 5-2 win for game two. Check back all season long for free MLB picks and MLB predictions at Sports Chat Place.
The Rays poured in seven runs during the fifth inning on Sunday, and out-hit Miami 13-9 there. Four different Rays players hit homers in that one, and Willy Adames managed a grand slam.
For the Monday starting pitcher, Tampa Bay will send out Tyler Glasnow. This season in six starts, Glasnow is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA and 48 Ks in 28.0 innings of work. Over his career, Glasnow is 11-18 with a 4.57 ERA and 340 strikeouts in 285.2 innings total.
Over on the Yankees’ side, they scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh in game one Sunday on the way to a comeback win, then kept it going via a Gary Sanchez grand slam for a game two victory. Starter Deivi Garcia went 6.0 innings with four hits and no earned runs on six strikeouts in his Major League debut in the latter game.
In Monday’s starting pitcher role, New York will kick things off with Gerrit Cole. In his seven starts in 2020, Cole is 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 41.0 frames. Cole is 98-53 with a 3.23 ERA in his MLB career, alongside 1389 strikeouts in 1236.0 innings total.
The Rays are 5-0 in their last five games as an underdog and 5-0 in their last five road games versus a team with a winning record. Tampa Bay is 11-1 in their last 12 road games and 28-8 in their last 36 Monday games.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are 60-18 in their last 78 games as a home favorite and 66-24 in their last 90 home games. New York is 74-33 in their last 107 games as a favorite and the over is 4-1 in their last five during game one of a series.
Pick: I’m leaning New York here, but it’s tough. Considering how poorly the Yankees have played against Tampa Bay in general so far, it would be reasonable to take the Rays here. However, New York did show some signs of life (albeit sporadic) in the Mets games Sunday and if a few of their hitters can really get going the team will be in good shape. Having Cole on the mound helps immensely here as well.
