The wise guys in Vegas like the Tampa Rays is this afternoon’s rubber match of a three-game set at Citi Field, but the Bronx Bombers are looking to secure their fifth straight series win with a victory. They lost a full game in the standings yesterday as their 2-1 loss combined with the Red Sox 11-1 victory over the Angels puts the Yankees deflect back to 4.5 games.
Tuesday, September 13, 2017 @ Tampa Rays (kinda)
Key Stats At-A-Glance
Money Line : Rays -116, Yankees +108
Over/Under : 8
Line Moves : Late dineros coming in on New York
The Ballpark : Citi Field leans toward being more of a pitcher’s park.
Gametime Weather : 76°, mostly sunny, Wind SSE 5 MPH, 0% chance of rain.
Trends
• The Yankees are 5-2 straight up in their last 7 games against Tampa Bay.
• The Over/Under total as gone Over in 6 of the 8 games between these teams.
Starting Pitchers
Chris Archer : A 5th round pick in the 2006 Amateur Draft by the Cleveland Indians, Archer was traded to Chicago Cubs in December of 2008 along with John Gaub and Jeff Stevens for Mark DeRosa. In January 2011, the Cubs traded Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, Brandon Guyer, Robinson Chirinos and Sam Fuld to Tampa for Matt Garza, Fernando Perez and Zac Rosscup.
Since becoming the anchor of the Rays’ staff, Archer has generally given the Yankees fits over his career. He almost became the first pitcher in MLB history to win their first 6 starts against the Yankees, taking a loss in his 6th start against them on September 6, 2015.
This arsenal mainly relies on his four-seam fastball at 96MPH, a slider and circle change.
Jamie Garcia The Tampa Rays have not been a easy mark for Gray, who has allowed 9 home runs in 36 innings over six starts. Those numbers are split between Oakland and The Tropicana (where he fared much better — a 1.93 ERA over three starts since 2014).
Hitters to Consider (Or Not)
- Aaron Judge ($5,200) : If he keeps on working counts, Judge has the potential for a big night, but Snell may try to work the corners and make Judge bite on fastballs up the ladder.
- Gary Sanchez ($4,800) : The Kracken is 3 for 6 against Snell with two home runs, the only Yankee on the current roster who’s taken him deep.
- Chase Headley ($3,500) : While a small sample size, Headley is 3 for 10 versus Snell but has been seeing the ball well in general lately. And getting big hits when they’re needed.
- Sir Didi Gregorius ($4,200) : Didi has no fear of lefties, and one hanger from Snell could result in a rocket from the shortstop.
- Evan Longoria ($3,200) : Longoria currently holds the best numbers on the Rays against Gray, going 10 for 26 (.385) with 1 home runs and a 1.061 OPS.
THE FINE PRINT : The fantasy lineup suggestions are purely speculation and should not be taken as gospel. Anything can and will happen in a baseball game, but this content is designed to provide a starting point for your lineup research. Best of luck, and let’s go Yankees!
