Tampa Bay @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2016 ) Tampa Bay 3, NY Yankees 6

The New York Yankees are not playing like a team that has thrown in the towel on the season while winning five of their last seven games to stay on the outskirts of the American League wild-card race. The Yankees look to improve their chances of a postseason run on Saturday afternoon when they host the last-place Tampa Bay Rays in the middle contest of a three-game set.

New York took the series opener 6-3 on Friday as three-time AL MVP Alex Rodriguez posted an RBI double in his final game in pinstripes before being released. The Yankees will send ace Masahiro Tanaka to the mound Saturday in search of their fourth straight victory as they stand 3 1/2 games behind Boston for the AL’s second wild card. Matt Andriese will get the start for the Rays, who have dropped four of five games and are tied for the fewest wins in the AL with 46. Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria homered Friday and is 8-for-22 with three blasts and seven RBIs in his last six contests.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Matt Andriese (6-3, 2.90 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (8-4, 3.32)

Andriese has managed just 8 2/3 innings total in two outings since returning to the starting rotation, allowing four runs and nine hits. The California native is 5-2 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts this season, averaging just fewer than six innings. Jacoby Ellsbury (3-for-4) and Chase Headley (2-for-4, homer) have caused problems for Andriese, who is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in three appearances (one start) against the Yankees.

Tanaka snapped a three-game winless stretch last time out, limiting Cleveland to one run and six hits over six innings with eight strikeouts. The Japan native is 4-1 in 12 home starts and boasts 120 strikeouts to go along with just 27 walks in 146 1/3 innings in 2016. Kevin Kiermaier is 3-for-5 with a homer versus Tanaka, who has yielded only two runs in 14 innings with one victory against Tampa Bay this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay SS Matt Duffy went 1-for-4 in his debut with the team after being acquired from San Francisco at the trade deadline.

2. New York 2B Starlin Castro has recorded four RBIs in two of his last seven games, including Friday when he belted a two-run homer.

3. Kiermaier (flu) missed Friday’s contest and hopes to return on the weekend.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Rays 2