New York @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( May 29, 2016 ) NY Yankees 2, Tampa Bay 1

While the tabloids have been quick to predict gloom and doom for the New York Yankees this season, manager Joe Girardi's club has steadily improved with each passing month. The visiting Yankees, winners of eight of their last 11, look to wrap up a successful July this weekend when they play the opener of a three-game series versus the American League East-rival Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

After recording losses in 14 of their 22 contests in April, New York's winning percentage has climbed in the ensuing months - with a 13-10 mark in July. Brian McCann, who belted a solo homer in Wednesday's 4-1 setback to Houston, is riding a four-game hitting streak overall and is a blistering 12-for-23 with three homers and 10 RBIs in his career versus Friday starter Jake Odorizzi. While the Yankees have scratched back into the postseason discussion, that type of talk has long since been tabled for Tampa Bay. A lack of offense is partly to blame for the cellar-dwelling Rays, who mustered seven runs during a four-game losing skid before wrapping up a nine-game road trip with a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)






PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (7-5, 4.65 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (4-5, 4.10)

Nova, who reportedly is "the next priority" for the trade-minded Yankees, allowed one run for the third time in four outings Saturday in a no-decision versus San Francisco. The 29-year-old impending free agent was taken deep, however, for the fourth time in his last three trips to the mound and has permitted 17 in his last 16 starts. Nova kept the ball in the park in 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief versus Tampa Bay on April 22 to improve to 8-6 versus the franchise.

Odorizzi recorded his majors-leading 12th no-decision on Friday despite tossing eight scoreless innings against Oakland. The 26-year-old has cobbled together back-to-back strong outings after getting shredded for 11 runs on 15 hits in the previous two. Odorizzi pitched well in his last meeting with the Yankees on May 29, but Starlin Castro's two-run homer accounted for the lone hit over seven innings as he fell to 3-5 in his career versus the club.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay 2B Tim Beckham is 10-for-19 since the All-Star break, but 2-for-21 with nine strikeouts in nine career games versus New York.

2. Yankees RF Carlos Beltran has four multi-hit performances in his last six contests.

3. Rays 3B Evan Longoria collected three hits Wednesday and has 15 (four homers) in his last 10 contests.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Rays 3