- Matchup: Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees
- Scheduled Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
- Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
- Broadcast: YES Network
- Betting Odds: Tampa Bay (+162) vs New York (-196)
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The Tampa Bay Rays (33-15) are heading to Yankee Stadium this Friday to face off against the New York Yankees (30-20). The Rays are set at +162 on the moneyline, while the Yankees are positioned at -196. The total runs for the game are projected at 8.5, with Nick Martinez and Gerrit Cole slated as the starting pitchers.
On average, the Tampa Bay Rays are scoring 4.8 runs per game, ranking them 8th in the league. They have achieved a total of 232 runs, boasting an on-base percentage (OBP) of .335. The team has accumulated 67 doubles and hit 41 home runs. They have 218 RBIs and 422 hits this season, producing a batting average of .261. Their slugging percentage is .391, with 342 strikeouts and 165 walks drawn.
The Rays have a team ERA of 3.57 this season, ranking 6th in Major League Baseball, and their pitchers have struck out 377 batters. Tampa Bay’s staff has conceded 51 home runs and 192 runs overall (7th in the league). They have allowed 365 hits this season, with 170 earned runs, and maintain a FIP of 4.02. The K/BB ratio stands at 2.51, and the team’s WHIP is at 1.19.
This season, Rays relievers have faced runners on base 46 times, appearing in 57 high-leverage situations. With 40 holds this season (3rd in MLB), their save percentage sits at 73.3%, having entered 70 save situations with 22 successful saves and 8 blown opportunities. This year, they have inherited 60 base runners, with 25.0% scoring. A total of 156 relief pitchers have been utilized by the Rays.
Defensively, Tampa Bay has amassed 1,301 putouts this season, along with 394 assists and 32 errors, resulting in a fielding percentage of .981, ranking 28th in professional baseball. They have converted 72.4% of balls in play into outs over 3,903 innings, placing them 3rd in the league.
Nick Martinez has pitched 993 innings in his MLB career, achieving 705 strikeouts with a 4.01 ERA and a WHIP of 1.289. He has allowed 980 hits (8.9 hits per nine innings) and issued 300 walks. Martinez holds a career record of 52-60 and a FIP of 3.95, having faced 4,203 hitters overall.
The New York Yankees boast a slugging percentage of .429 and are scoring an average of 5.00 runs per game (5th in MLB). They have recorded 84 doubles, drawn 226 walks, and scored 250 runs. New York has hit 73 home runs this season along with 237 RBIs. They have struck out 447 times (8th in MLB) and made 384 hits, while holding an OBP of .330 and a batting average of .235 this season.
New York’s pitching staff has a WHIP of 1.174 and a FIP of 3.44. They rank 6th in the league for total hits allowed, with 366, and have conceded 181 runs with a 3.34 ERA (164 earned runs). The Yankees’ K/BB ratio stands at 8.90 (439 strikeouts versus 153 walks) and they have allowed 39 home runs, surrendering 3.68 runs per nine innings (4th in MLB).
The Yankees’ bullpen has a 30.4% inherited scoring rate out of their 92 inherited runners, having stepped into 57 high-leverage situations and 59 occasions with baserunners. In 54 save opportunities, they have earned 32 holds and recorded 9 blown saves, ranking 23rd in the league with a 57.1% save rate. They have sent 162 relievers to pitch this season.
Defensively, over 3,981 innings, the Yankees have a fielding efficiency of 71.0% (9th in MLB). New York has executed 36 double plays and has a fielding percentage of .986 (18th in the majors), with 471 assists, 25 errors, and 1,327 putouts recorded this season.
Throughout his professional career, Gerrit Cole has allowed 1,627 hits while collecting 2,251 strikeouts over 1,954 innings pitched. He has surrendered 690 earned runs while maintaining a WHIP of 1.089 and a FIP of 3.1. His K/BB ratio is 4.50, having faced 7,861 hitters. Cole boasts a career record of 153-80 with an ERA of 3.18, surrendering 7.5 hits per nine innings.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB showdown against the point spread or moneyline?
Pick: Back New York (-196) and the under 8.5 runs
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