Tampa Bay (14-17) at NY Yankees (18-13)
- When: May 2 2025, 7:05 PM
- Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx
- Where to watch: YES
MLB Betting Preview: Yankees vs. Rays – Friday Night in the Bronx
Moneyline: Yankees -220 | Total: 8.5
The Yankees enter Friday’s series opener as heavy favorites at -220 on the moneyline, and it’s easy to see why. With both their offense and pitching firing on all cylinders, the Bronx Bombers are positioned for another dominant showing against a Rays team that’s been trending in the wrong direction.
New York Yankees – Elite Form from the Plate to the Mound
New York is riding into June with two major weapons: Aaron Judge and Max Fried. Judge leads all of baseball with a .427 batting average and enters this game on a 27-game on-base streak. He’s crushed three homers in his last four games and currently sits atop MLB in hits, home runs, and RBIs. He reached base four times in his last outing—a common theme this season—and continues to be one of the most feared bats in the game.
On the hill, Max Fried (5-0, 1.19 ERA) is matching Judge’s dominance with every start. He’s allowed two or fewer earned runs in every outing and is holding opposing hitters to a .207 average. Fried has already blanked the Rays once this season and owns a 3-0 career record with a 0.42 ERA against them. That includes a 7.2-inning, two-hit gem just a couple weeks ago. With both stars in peak form, the Yankees are in full control.
Tampa Bay Rays – Fading Momentum and Offensive Struggles
The Rays head to Yankee Stadium on the heels of a rough series sweep at the hands of Kansas City, getting outscored 14-3. The offense has completely stalled—they were no-hit into the seventh inning in their last game and went just 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position over that three-game stretch. The lack of timely hitting has become a serious issue, and their recent series loss to the Yankees didn’t help confidence.
Ryan Pepiot (2-3, 4.24 ERA) will try to slow the Yankees’ momentum. He held New York to three runs across six innings in their previous meeting and followed that with a strong outing in San Diego. Still, Pepiot has yet to face the Yankees in the Bronx, and the pressure is bound to be higher this time around.
Betting Prediction
With Max Fried dealing and Judge carrying the offense, the Yankees are deserving -220 favorites. Tampa Bay’s recent slump—especially with runners on base—makes it hard to trust them in this spot. Combine that with Fried’s dominance over the Rays, and this game heavily tilts toward the Yankees. The Under 8.5 is also in play, given both pitchers’ recent form and the Rays’ scoring woes.
Prediction:
Runline Play: Yankees -1.5 (-105)
Lean: Under 8.5 (-110)
Score Prediction: Yankees 5, Rays 2
- MLB Odds source: MyBookie Sportsbook
