NY Yankees (55-29) at Tampa Bay (50-37)
When: Thursday, July 4th, 2019
Where: Tropicana Field,
St Petersburg, FL
Time: 5:10 ET | TV: YES, FS Sun
Opening Odds: New York -120/9.5
The New York Yankees enter their last series of the first half with a 6.5 game lead over Tampa Bay and can really put some distance between them and the Rays when they open a four-game series in St. Petersburg on Thursday night. The Yankees will be ready for a break after sweeping the rival Red Sox in London, then splitting two with their cross-town rivals in the Mets. Yesterday’s win over the Mets gave the Yankees 14 wins in their last 16 overall and an AL-best 55-29 record. Didi Gregorius went 2-for-4 in Wednesday’s 5-1 victory and has six consecutive multi-hit performances and at least one run in all six, going 13-for-27 with 10 runs scored during that stretch. Tampa Bay dropped the opener of their current nine-game homestand 5-0 to Texas, but have scored five runs or more in winning four of their last five after yesterday’s 9-6 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. New York leads the season series 7-2, including a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium last month during which it outscored the Rays 21-4. The Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu was named the AL Player of the Month for June, batting .395 with six home runs, 29 RBI, and 26 runs in 25 games.
Pitchers: Yankees – J.A. Happ (7-4, 5.23 ERA) | Rays – Yonny Chirinos (7-4, 3.10)
J.A. Happ is coming off one of the worst outings of his career when he let up eight runs and 11 hits (three homers) in four innings of a 9-4 loss to Houston before the trip to London. Happ continues to get great run support, as the Yankees are 11-5 when he takes the mound despite an ERA over five. He is 5-4 with a 4.30 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) against the Rays after beating them less than a month ago.
10 CENT MLB LINES & 1% CASH BACK
Yonny Chirinos has been building up his pitch count since moving into the rotation at the end of May, throwing a season-high 105 but lasting only six innings in a 5-0 loss to Texas last Friday. He allowed four runs (three earned), five hits and four walks in those six frames and the Rays have lost each of his last four starts, scoring a total of four runs during that span. Chirinos is 2-2 with a 2.94 ERA in five games (two starts) versus New York and 1-1, 3.07 in three appearances (one start) this season.
I don’t care how bad Happ has been or the fact that Tampa has scored five or six runs in five consecutive games. The Yankees are on a roll and will outslug the Rays in this one. They are 7-2 against Tampa this season including a sweep last month.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Thursday. He is 86-61 +1528 units on the season!
Pick: Yankees -113
Fourth of July Free MLB Picks from Bobby and Jay
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BETTING TRENDS:
Yankees are 5-1 in their last 6 road games.
Yankees are 14-3 in their last 17 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Yankees are 4-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Yankees are 4-1 in their last 5 Thursday games.
Yankees are 7-2 in their last 9 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Yankees are 45-16 in their last 61 vs. American League East.
Yankees are 61-23 in their last 84 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Yankees are 20-8 in their last 28 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Yankees are 47-19 in their last 66 overall.
Yankees are 36-15 in their last 51 during game 1 of a series.
Yankees are 36-16 in their last 52 games following a win.
Yankees are 35-17 in their last 52 vs. a team with a winning record.
Yankees are 7-0 in Happ’s last 7 starts vs. American League East.
Yankees are 4-0 in Happ’s last 4 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Yankees are 6-1 in Happ’s last 7 road starts.
Yankees are 5-1 in Happ’s last 6 starts during game 1 of a series.
Yankees are 5-1 in Happ’s last 6 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Yankees are 8-3 in Happ’s last 11 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Yankees are 13-5 in Happ’s last 18 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Yankees are 20-8 in Happ’s last 28 starts.
Yankees are 5-2 in Happ’s last 7 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 games following a loss.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 overall.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 games on astroturf.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 home games.
Rays are 16-5 in their last 21 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Rays are 5-2 in their last 7 Thursday games.
Rays are 37-17 in their last 54 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Rays are 3-7 in their last 10 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Rays are 1-4 in their last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Rays are 1-5 in their last 6 during game 1 of a series.
Rays are 1-8 in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 4-0 in Yankees last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-1 in Yankees last 6 vs. American League East.
Over is 6-2-1 in Yankees last 9 on astroturf.
Over is 36-13-2 in Yankees last 51 road games.
Over is 18-7-1 in Yankees last 26 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 18-7-1 in Yankees last 26 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 5-2 in Yankees last 7 games following a win.
Over is 15-7 in Yankees last 22 overall.
Under is 4-0 in Happ’s last 4 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 6-1 in Happ’s last 7 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Happ’s last 6 starts vs. American League East.
Under is 4-1-1 in Happ’s last 6 starts during game 1 of a series.
Under is 4-1-1 in Happ’s last 6 starts overall.
Under is 3-1-1 in Happ’s last 5 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 2-0-2 in Rays last 4 overall.
Over is 2-0-2 in Rays last 4 on astroturf.
Over is 2-0-2 in Rays last 4 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-0-2 in Rays last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 2-0-2 in Rays last 4 home games.
Over is 3-0-1 in Rays last 4 vs. American League East.
Under is 4-1-1 in Rays last 6 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 8-3-2 in Rays last 13 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 5-2 in Rays last 7 Thursday games.
Under is 5-2-1 in Rays last 8 during game 1 of a series.
Over is 5-0-1 in the last 6 meetings in Tampa Bay.
Yankees are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Yankees are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Tampa Bay.
