The Tampa Bay Rays head to New York to face the Yankees at 7:05 PM ET on Friday night on MLB Network. It’s the first game of a three-game set. Can the Yankees win the game outright as money-line home favorites? Keep reading for our Rays vs. Yankees betting prediction.
Projected starting pitchers: Ryan Pepiot (TB) vs. Max Fried (NYY)
The Tampa Bay Rays are 14-17 straight up this year. They are 5-5 straight up in their last 10 games. The Rays are 13-18 ATS this season.
The New York Yankees are 18-13 straight up this year. They are 5-5 straight up in their last 10 games. The Yankees are 16-15 ATS this season.
Rays vs. Yankees Game Matchup and Betting Odds
915 Tampa Bay Rays (+180) at 916 New York Yankees (-218); o/u 8.5
7:05 PM ET, Friday, May 2, 2025
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
TV: MLB Network
Rays vs. Yankees Public Betting Information
Our MLB Public Betting Information page indicates that 89% of public bettors are currently backing the Yankees money line. Please note that these numbers are subject to change all the way up to game time, so be sure to check the link to ensure that you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Tampa Bay Rays DFS Spin
Rays designated hitter Yandy Diaz drove in half of his team’s runs in their 8-2 loss to the Royals on Thursday. In that game, the Villa Clara, Cuba, native went 1 for 4 with a homer, an RBI, and a run scored. For the season, Diaz is batting .254 with 4 homers, 14 RBIs, 2 steals, and an OPS of .712. Yandy Diaz is hitting .346 in his last 7 games, making him an interesting DFS option on Friday night.
New York Yankees DFS Spin
Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge reached base 4 times in his team’s 5-4 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday. Hitting out of the #3 spot in the batting order, the two-time AL MVP went 3 for 3 with a homer, 3 RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Judge is hitting an astounding .427 with 10 homers, 32 RBIs, 3 steals, and an OPS of 1.282 this season. Aaron Judge is hitting .491 over his past 15 games. That fact makes the Linden, CA, native worthy of DFS consideration on Friday.
Rays vs. Yankees MLB Betting Trends
Tampa Bay is 1-4 straight up in their last 5 games against New York.
Tampa Bay is 6-10 straight up after a loss this season.
New York is 8-4 straight up after a loss this season.
New York is 5-1 straight up when playing with the rest advantage since the start of last season.
Rays vs. Yankees Betting Prediction
New York has the best hitter in baseball this season, Aaron Judge. The Yankees will also be throwing one of the best starting pitchers in the majors this season, Max Fried, on Friday. Judge is slashing .427/.521/.761 for his batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage this season. He leads the majors in hits and is tied for the Major League lead in home runs and RBIs this year.
Max Fried is tied for the MLB lead with 5 wins this season and is second in the big leagues with an ERA of 1.19 this year. Sometimes it’s this simple: star players win games. For that reason, I’m taking the Yankees on the money line over the Rays in the Bronx on Friday night. The pick is New York -218 on the money line over Tampa Bay at Bovada.lv.