Rays minus $1.30 hosting Yankees
George Steinbrenner is turning over in his grave.
The Yankees’ season has been a disaster. Not my words, but those of Yankee general manager Brian Cashman. A Thursday loss to the lowly Nationals pushed the Yankees’ record to 13-28 in their last 41 games and was their 10th defeat in 11 games.
It’s a lost and humiliating season for the Yankees, who reside in the cellar of the AL East Division. I don’t see this dead team turning things around against a hot Rays squad that is 6-1 in their last seven games.
The line is relatively short because Gerrit Cole gets the start for New York. Cole, though, has to be as demoralized as any of his teammates. He hasn’t been very good this month either with a 1-2 record and 5.25 ERA in four August starts. Cole has thrown 160 1/3 innings, most in the American League. So the Yankees might start limiting his pitch count since their season is shot.
The Rays are swinging hot bats, averaging 8.9 runs in their last seven games. Cole has a 4.76 ERA in three starts versus Tampa Bay this year.
Tampa Bay starter Zach Eflin has become an above average starter with a 13-7 mark and 3.58 ERA. He beat the Yankees, 5-2, on the road at the start of this month throwing six shutout innings in that game. That lowered Eflin’s lifetime ERA to 1.57 in four career starts versus the Yankees.
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