New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction – 8/19/2025
AL East rivals will open a two-game series when the New York Yankees visit the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. The Yankees are slight favorites with one of their top arms on the mound in this contest. But the Yankees have been inconsistent in the second half of the season and the Rays will aim to take advantage of that. Before this series opener from Tampa, you can find my Yankees vs Rays prediction below.
Our Yankees vs Rays Pick
- Pick: Yankees Moneyline
- Confidence: 4/5
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays
- Date & Time: Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 7:35 PM EDT
- Starting Pitchers: Carlos Rodón (Yankees) vs Shane Baz (Rays)
- Stadium: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL
- Broadcast: YES Network (Yankees), FDSSUN (Rays)
Key Storylines
Pitching Matchup
Left-hander Carlos Rodón will take the mound for the Yankees. He has a 12-7 record with a 3.25 ERA and 164 strikeouts over 146.2 innings. Rodon is coming off a start where he allowed just one earned run over seven innings against the Minnesota Twins.
Opposing Rodon is right-hander Shane Baz. Baz has an 8-9 record with a 4.93 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 135 innings. Baz has shown flashes of brilliance but his inconsistency and elevated ERA suggest vulnerabilities that the Yankees’ lineup could exploit.
Key Players
- Aaron Judge (Yankees): Judge is leading the Yankees with 39 home runs and a .333 batting average. His power and discipline at the plate make him a tough out for even the best pitchers in baseball.
- Junior Caminero (Rays): Caminero has 35 home runs and 85 RBI to lead the Rays. His ability to produce in clutch situations will be crucial for Tampa Bay’s success again in this game.
Recent Team Streaks
The Yankees are entering this game on a strong run. They have won three straight games and four of their last five. The Rays have a 3-2 record over their last five games. Tampa had a three-game winning streak snapped in their last game against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Aaron Judge | Over 0.5 Home Runs |
| Junior Caminero | Over 0.5 Home Runs |
| Carlos Rodón | Over 6.5 Strikeouts |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Yankees hold a 7-4 lead in the season series against the Rays in 2025.
- New York has won three straight games over the Rays heading into this series opener.
Yankees vs Rays Model Projection
Score Projection: Yankees 5 – Rays 3
Win Probability: Yankees 65%, Rays 35%
Final Thoughts
The Yankees enter this game with the upper hand thanks to Rodón’s dominant pitching and their explosive offense. I think that Baz will struggle against a Yankees offense that has scored 20 runs over its last two games. My best bet for this contest is for the Yankees to get the win on the road.
