Yanks face specter of lost series against Rays
In the topsy-turvy American League East, momentum is fleeting. No team understands this better than the Yankees.
Joe Girardi’s troops began the week on a high note, taking a critical series from Houston. Three consecutive losses, however, have reopened questions about New York’s viability down the stretch.
For now, the Bronx Bombers can only hope to salvage their three-game series with the Rays. The two division rivals meet at 1:10 p.m. ET, with Kevin Cash’s host club currying little favor with handicappers at online sports book Bovada.lv. Tampa Bay enters Tropicana Field as a -105 underdog. As for the visitors, they represent 1.5-run favorites.
On Saturday, the Yanks managed a mere four hits off lefty Drew Smyly, who prevailed for the first time in 12 appearances. Blake Snell aims to provide similar resistance shortly. The rookie actually made his MLB debut against New York in April, yielding one run on two base knocks across five innings. He’s 1-2 with a 2.63 ERA in July.
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Girardi, meanwhile, must appreciate the signs of life coming from Michael Pineda. After a largely disappointing first half, the righty’s stuff finally looks sharp. In his most recent outing, Pineda held the Astros to a run and five hits. That 2-1 triumph also marked the Dominican Republic native’s 10th straight start of five-plus frames.
When the Yankees are bad, it’s abundantly clear from the outset. They’ve totaled just 12 runs in their seven defeats since the All-Star break. We’ve practically reached the desperation stage, though, and those veterans in Pinstripes will find a way to (temporarily) ward off disaster by stealing the matinee at hand.
SUNDAY MLB FREE PICK: YANKEES -1.5