TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 17: Richie Palacios #1 of the Tampa Bay Rays steals second from under the tag of Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees in the third inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field on April 17, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
The New York Yankees have won four straight games. They will aim to keep the good times rolling in their second matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays at Steinbrenner Field.
Wins have been hard to come by whenever New York starter Carlos Rodon has been on the mound. The lefty was once thought of as one of the premier arms in the MLB, but his recent performances have not reflected that status, as he has earned a 5.48 ERA over his four outings of 2025. Luckily for him, the Rays have had a ton of trouble getting to left-handed pitchers, only batting .218 against southpaws on the season.
While Rodon has had a tough start to the year, Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen has had an unimaginably good one. Through 15 innings of work, the righty has allowed a single run while only walking two batters. Despite the fact that Rasmussen is unlikely to work deep into a ball game, he has been one of the most effective pitchers in the entire MLB, always putting the Rays ahead with his steady, fantastic control. All three of his outings have come against mediocre offensive teams, a trend that this Yankees lineup will break.
Spread
- Yankees -1.5 (+140)
- Rays +1.5 (-160)
Moneyline
- Yankees -116
- Rays +108
Totals
- Over 8.5 (-105)
- Under 8.5 (-113)
*The above data was collected on April 18, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Yankees vs Rays Betting Trends
- The Yankees are 10-9 ATS this season.
- The Yankees are 3-4 ATS when playing on the road.
- The under is 5-0-2 when the Yankees play an American League opponent.
- The Rays are 6-13 ATS this season, making them one of the worst ATS teams in the MLB.
- All six of Tampa Bay's covers have come at home.
- The over is 2-1-1 when the Rays face an AL East opponent.
Yankees vs Rays Injury Reports
New York Yankees
- DJ LeMahieu, 3B - Out.
- Giancarlo Stanton, DH - Out.
Tampa Bay Rays
- Ha-Seong Kim, SS - Out.
- Jonny DeLuca, CF - Out.
- Josh Lowe, RF - Out.
- Richie Palacios, OF - Out.
- Kevin Kelly, RP - Out.
Yankees vs Rays Predictions and Picks
Adam Rauzino of Winners and Whiners writes, "The New York Yankees have been solid at home but dropped three of their past four road games entering Thursday. The Tampa Bay Rays have been competitive at home, where they stand above .500. This pitching matchup favors the Rays. Furthermore, Yankees' Carlos Rodon is struggling. He has surrendered four or more runs in three of his four outings and yielded five home runs in that span. Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen has been dominant. He has kept his opponents to just one run in 20 innings pitched this season, equating to a dazzling 0.60 ERA. Also, he has silenced the Yankees, recording a stunning 21 scoreless innings in his career against the rivals."
It is difficult to disagree with Rauzino. Rasmussen has been lights-out, and it is fair to expect at least a solid outing from him here. The same cannot be said for Rodon, who has struggled mightily in his last two starts. The Rays should be bigger favorites than they are, making their moneyline the best bet on the board.
