New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Pick & Prediction for 7/9

MLB game preview

The New York Yankees will take on the Tampa Bay Rays in an MLB regular-season game. The game will be played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. The Yankees have a record of 50-42 and are second in the AL East, while the Rays lead the division with a 54-36 record.

The Yankees are coming off a two-game losing streak and have struggled in their last ten games, winning only two. On the other hand, the Rays have won their last two games and have a strong home record of 33-13. The game is set for Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 1:10 PM and will be broadcast on the YES channel.

New York Yankees Team Preview

The New York Yankees have had a mixed run in their recent games. In their last five outings, they won one game against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 6th, with a 5-1 score. This victory was powered by three home runs, including two from José Caballero, which was a bright spot in their lineup.

In their recent series against the Rays, the Yankees lost two games. On July 7th, they fell 6-4, despite Ben Rice hitting a home run and collecting three RBIs. The following day, they were shut out 3-0, with Gerrit Cole pitching 6 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs.

The Yankees’ offense has seen some strong individual performances. Ben Rice leads the team with a .272 average and 26 home runs. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger have also contributed with 12 and 11 home runs, respectively, but the team’s batting average stands at .234, ranked 17th in the league.

Yankees vs Rays Game Day Info

  • Sport: MLB
  • Teams: New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays
  • Venue: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
  • Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026
  • Betting Odds: Yankees Moneyline +132, Rays Moneyline -157

Tampa Bay Rays Team Preview

The Tampa Bay Rays have shown strong performances in recent games at home. They won two of their last three games against the New York Yankees. Shane McClanahan had a good outing, pitching over six innings and not allowing a run on July 8th, 2026.

The Rays have been consistent in their hitting with a team batting average of .257, which ranks 4th in the league. Yandy Díaz stands out with a .327 batting average. Jonathan Aranda also contributes with a .284 average and leads the team in RBIs with 61.

On the pitching side, the Rays hold an ERA of 3.73, placing them 8th in the league. Drew Rasmussen is set to start the next game, holding a season record of 7-4 with a 2.78 ERA. His performance will be crucial for the Rays as they continue their series against the Yankees.

BTB Betting Pick

The Rays are favored with a moneyline of -157, while the Yankees are at +132. Given the Rays’ stronger batting average and pitching stats, they are likely to win. The projected score is 4-3 in favor of the Rays.

The total for the game is set at 7.5 runs. With both teams having solid pitching stats, the game is expected to be low-scoring. The recommendation is to take the under at 7.5 runs, with a projected total score of 7 runs.