The Tampa Bay Rays were able to withstand a pair of Giancarlo Stanton bombs to tie up their American League Divisional series with the New York Yankees.
While the first two games of this series went Over the total, could this pivotal Game 3 finally be the pitcher’s duel we’ve been expecting, as Charlie Morton toes the rubber against Masahiro Tanaka?
We break down the baseball odds and bring our best Rays vs. Yankees Game 3 picks and predictions for MLB playoff action on Wednesday, October 7 (7:10 p.m. ET).
Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees betting preview
MLB Playoff Series Prices
Yankees: -130
Rays: +110
Starting Pitchers
Charlie Morton (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs Masahiro Tanaka (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Charlie Morton missed a chunk of the season with some right shoulder inflammation, and while the right-hander is stretched out, he hasn’t looked like his old self yet, pitching to a 4.66 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in his last four starts. Now, Morton gets the ball for his first postseason start and hasn’t pitched in a game since September 25.
Tanaka, on the other hand, is coming off a solid year for the Yankees, in which he posted a 3.56 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. This will be the right-hander’s second postseason start this year, and the first against Cleveland was a rough one, in which he allowed six earned runs. However, that start was interrupted with a rain delay. Tanaka also has some mixed results against the Rays this season.
Weather
This game is being played in San Diego, so what weather? If you really need a weather report the forecast is calling for clear skies with temperatures in the mid-70s and minimal wind. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Over/Under Bet
The Yankees slugged their way to a 9-3 victory in Game 1, where the total was set at 7, before the Rays responded with a 7-5 win in Game 2 with a total of 8.5. With Game 3’s total once again sitting at 8.5 it’s easy to envision another one of these games going Over.
Morton still looks like he is shaking off some rust and in his last four starts, he's allowing opponents to hit .282. Morton has had success against the Yankees as a member of the Rays, but he is finding too much of the plate right now and the Yanks are the hottest team going this postseason, leading in batting average (.295), OPS (.998) and home runs (13).
Meanwhile, Tanaka has a 7.20 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP over his last three starts, and while he has mixed results against the Rays, if he can’t go deep into this game, it will be on Aaron Boone to manage the last half of the game with a bullpen that has been underwhelming so far this postseason.
PREDICTION: Over 8.5 (-113)
Side Bet
This series is all knotted up at one, but the Rays have dominated this matchup all season long, going 9-3 against the Yankees, which is one of the reasons they ran away with the American League East crown. That said, this game feels close to a coin flip with the Yankees at full health.
Not many can match the lineup the Yankees trot out there on a daily basis — certainly not the Rays. But while most causal baseball fans couldn’t name three Rays position players, this lineup is scrappy and has a penchant for timely hits. On top of that, the team that ranks second behind the Yankees in home runs this postseason is, you guessed it, the Rays.
Tampa Bay also has the better bullpen, and better bullpen management, so, in a game this close, we’re going to back the all-around better team that is getting the underdog price.
PREDICTION: Rays (+117)
Rays vs Yankees betting card
- Over 8.5 (-113)
- Rays (+117)
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