NY Yankees (102-56) at Tampa Bay (94-64)
When: Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Where: Tropicana Field,
St Petersburg, FL
Time: 7:10 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: OFF
The New York Yankees are still in a battle with the Houston Astros for the top seed in the American League but that’s not stopping them from tinkering with their rotation in anticipation of next week’s ALDS against either the wild card winner or the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees have the potential to play Tampa Bay in the first round after the Rays took the opener of a two-game set on Tuesday night with a Ji-Man Choi walk-off homer in the 12th inning of the 2-1 victory. The win kept Tampa a half-game ahead of Cleveland for the second AL wild card spot and just a half-game behind Oakland for the top spot after the A’s loss Tuesday night. Choi’s three-run homer on Monday helped Tampa Bay beat Boston 7-4 and the Rays will be playing their final home game Wednesday before finishing at Toronto this weekend. The Rays have trailed in each of their last eight games but they’ve managed to win five of them. New York, which is 5-5 in its last 10 contests, fell 1.5 games behind Houston for the best record in baseball and appears will be going with a rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and Luis Severino to start in the ALDS. That leaves J.A. Happ and CC Sabathia relegated to bullpen duty which is exactly what Happ will do Wednesday. After an opener – most likely Jonathan Loaisiga – Happ will get the bulk of the innings and will be opposed by Tampa ace Charlie Morton.
Pitchers: Yankees – J.A. Happ (12-8, 5.01 ERA) | Rays – Charlie Morton (15-6, 3.15)
Happ will come out of the bullpen for the first time since 2015 to get him ready for the postseason a day after Sabathia pitched a perfect inning Tuesday in his first career regular-season relief appearance. Happ has been pitching terrific of late, going 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in his last five starts including a no-decision Friday versus Toronto. He is 5-4 with a 4.15 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) against the Rays.
Morton will more than likely be making his final start of the regular season and would be in line for the wild card game or potentially a one-game playoff on Monday. He’s coming off a no-decision on Friday against Boston in which he allowed two runs and five hits with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings. Morton is 3-2 with a 4.54 ERA in seven starts against the Yankees.
The Yankees lost 2-1 last night and every time they have been held to one or zero runs this season, they’ve won the next game nine of 11 times including seven in a row. They still have something to play for and they’ll bounce back against a pitcher they’ve had success against.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Wednesday. He is 131-94 +2318 units on the season!
Pick: Yankees +130
BETTING TRENDS:
Yankees are 13-3 in their last 16 Wednesday games.
Yankees are 30-9 in their last 39 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Yankees are 53-19 in their last 72 vs. American League East.
Yankees are 18-7 in their last 25 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Yankees are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Yankees are 24-10 in their last 34 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Yankees are 94-41 in their last 135 games following a loss.
Yankees are 43-19 in their last 62 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Yankees are 55-26 in their last 81 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Yankees are 61-29 in their last 90 overall.
Yankees are 42-20 in their last 62 during game 2 of a series.
Yankees are 35-17 in their last 52 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Yankees are 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Yankees are 2-5 in their last 7 games on astroturf.
Yankees are 0-4 in Loaisiga’s last 4 starts.
Rays are 8-1 in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 during game 2 of a series.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Rays are 27-9 in their last 36 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Rays are 20-7 in their last 27 games following a win.
Rays are 20-7 in their last 27 games on astroturf.
Rays are 20-7 in their last 27 home games.
Rays are 19-7 in their last 26 vs. American League East.
Rays are 61-25 in their last 86 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Rays are 7-3 in their last 10 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Rays are 35-16 in their last 51 overall.
Rays are 47-22 in their last 69 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Rays are 48-23 in their last 71 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Rays are 7-16 in their last 23 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Rays are 6-0 in Morton’s last 6 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Rays are 5-0 in Morton’s last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Rays are 4-0 in Morton’s last 4 home starts.
Rays are 4-0 in Morton’s last 4 starts.
Rays are 4-0 in Morton’s last 4 starts on astroturf.
Rays are 4-1 in Morton’s last 5 starts vs. American League East.
Rays are 4-1 in Morton’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Rays are 4-1 in Morton’s last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.
Rays are 5-2 in Morton’s last 7 starts during game 2 of a series.
Under is 9-1 in Yankees last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 6-1 in Yankees last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-1-1 in Yankees last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 4-1-1 in Yankees last 6 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Under is 4-1-1 in Yankees last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 11-3-2 in Yankees last 16 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 3-1-1 in Yankees last 5 vs. American League East.
Over is 8-3-1 in Yankees last 12 Wednesday games.
Under is 5-2-1 in Yankees last 8 overall.
Under is 5-2 in Yankees last 7 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 7-3-1 in Yankees last 11 during game 2 of a series.
Over is 4-0-1 in Rays last 5 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 5-0 in Rays last 5 Wednesday games.
Over is 4-0-1 in Rays last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 6-1-1 in Rays last 8 overall.
Over is 5-1 in Rays last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 5-1-1 in Rays last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Over is 4-1-1 in Rays last 6 on astroturf.
Over is 4-1-1 in Rays last 6 home games.
Over is 4-1 in Rays last 5 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Rays last 5 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 4-1-1 in Rays last 6 vs. American League East.
Over is 18-6-4 in Rays last 28 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 3-1-1 in Rays last 5 games following a win.
Over is 12-5-1 in Rays last 18 during game 2 of a series.
Over is 5-0 in Morton’s last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Over is 4-0 in Morton’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-1 in Morton’s last 6 starts during game 2 of a series.
Over is 5-1 in Morton’s last 6 starts overall.
Under is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Over is 7-3-1 in the last 11 meetings in Tampa Bay.
Yankees are 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
