Yankees Struggle as Rays Look to Sweep
As the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays prepare to conclude their three-game series, the Bronx Bombers are in a precarious position. The team is at a season low, struggling to avoid a sweep by the second-place Rays who have won the first two games of this series with relative ease.
Amidst these circumstances, Shane McClanahan is expected to perform well against the Yankees. Despite returning from a shoulder injury, he poses a significant threat to the Yankees' batting lineup, which has been underwhelming this season. The Yankees rank eighth last in run-scoring for the season and second last over the last three games. They particularly struggle against left-handed pitchers like McClanahan, and have been striking out more often than not.
The author predicts that the Yankees have a 60% chance to score less than four runs, given their recent performance and considering the conditions in Yankee Stadium that may reduce run scores by around 7%. Expectations are set for a pitcher's duel, with the Yankees likely to struggle to make contact. The author also anticipates McClanahan to strike out 7+ batters, further highlighting the challenges facing the Yankees.
Interestingly, the author predicts no runs scored in the first inning. This prediction is grounded in the expectation that both pitchers will go deep into the game, and the belief that the Rays have a superior bullpen. In spite of the Yankees' struggles, Gerrit Cole has performed consistently well, and his consistency is expected to continue.
The author leans towards the Rays winning the game, reflecting the current power dynamics between the two teams. However, it's worth noting that Tampa has had inconsistent scoring, with a stretch of low-scoring games in July. The author expects Cole to succeed against the free-swinging Tampa side, potentially reducing the number of runs scored.
It's important to note that the last two meetings between these teams have gone Under, and the Yankees have gone Under their team total in 30 of its last 54 home games. This trend, coupled with the Yankees' poor offensive performance, led the author to place a unit on the Under 7.5 at -104.
In conclusion, the Yankees' lack of fight this season has left fans, including the author, unhappy with the team's performance. As they face the Rays, the odds seem stacked against them. However, baseball is unpredictable, and anything can happen when these two teams take the field. Regardless, one thing is certain: fans and spectators alike are in for an exciting match-up.