Tampa Bay carries the best record in Baseball into a four-game AL East rivalry series with the Yankees in the Bronx, beginning Thursday night. Drew Rasmussen hits the hill for the Rays here against Domingo German for the Pinstripes.

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MLB Betting Odds

Thursday’s baseball betting market opened Tampa at around -130 over New York, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. Early betting action then edged that line down to -125.

Rays-Yankees Betting Preview

Tampa Bay just dropped two of three games at Baltimore, losing Wednesday’s series rubber match 2-1. Just before that the Rays took two of three games from these Yankees. Actually, Tampa is only 2-3 over its last five games, scoring three runs or less four times over that span.

But at 29-9 overall Tampa Bay leads the American League by 4.5 games over Baltimore.

New York, meanwhile, just swept three games at home from lowly Oakland, winning Wednesday’s series finale 11-3. Just before that the Yanks lost two of three to these Rays but just before that they took two of three from Cleveland.

So New York is 2-1 over its last three series and 6-2 over its last eight games.

At 21-17 overall the Yankees sit in sixth place in the AL playoff standings.

These teams, as mentioned above, just met last weekend, the Rays taking two of three games from the Yanks down in Florida. But Yankee slugger Aaron Judge missed all three games to injury. He’s back now.

Thursday's Pitching Match-Up

This pitching match-up is a rematch of a game played last Saturday, a 3-2 New York victory.

German is only 2/7 on quality starts this season but going good as of late. Last Saturday he held this Tampa team to two runs and four hits through five innings of that 3-2 Yankees win. And just before that he held Cleveland to one run through 8 1/3 innings, although New York lost that game 3-2.

The Yankees are only 3-4 with German this season and that about what they should be, based on his performances.

Over his last four starts against the Rays, one this season and three last season, German allowed seven earned runs and 15 hits through 17 1/3 innings. New York won three of those four games.

Rasmussen is also 2/7 on quality starts this year and 0 for his last five. Last Saturday he held these Yankees scoreless through 5 2/3 innings - one out short of a QS - in that 3-2 Tampa loss. But over his two starts previous to that he gave up eight runs and 18 hits through 9 2/3 innings of another two Rays defeats.

On the season Tampa Bay is 3-4 with Rasmussen, although that’s probably one game worse than it should be.

Over two career starts against the Yankees, one this season and one last season, Rasmussen allowed zero runs and eight hits through 11 2/3 innings, with two walks against 16 strikeouts. Tampa split those two games and both games played under on the totals.

Splits With the Sticks

Tampa Bay is batting .265 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .342 team OBP and a .495 team slugging percentage.

New York, playing without several regulars, is slashing .238/.298/.406 against right-handed pitching.

The Bullpens

The Yankees bullpen owns a ML-best 2.68 ERA this season, along with a 1.18 WHIP and a 2.44 K/BB ratio.

The Rays pen owns a 3.01 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and a 1.90 K/BB ratio.

MLB Betting Trends

Tampa Bay is 10-6 on the road this season and 23-8 against right-handed starters.

New York is 14-8 at home and 16-13 against right-handed starters.

Totals Report

The overs are 19-16 in Rays games this season.

The unders are 22-15 in Yankees games.

The unders are 15-7 at Yankee Stadium this season.

The unders are a combined 9-3 with German and Rasmussen this season.