The Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Yankees on August 20, 2025. First pitch from George M. Steinbrenner Field is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on YES.
Find my MLB betting preview and Yankees vs Rays prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
The Yankees thrashed the Rays 13-3 in the first game of this series yesterday, and will send Cam Schlittler to the mound tonight against the Rays' Drew Rasmussen.
My Yankees vs Rays Prediction
- Yankees vs Rays pick: Under 8.5 (-105)
My Yankees vs Rays best bet is Under 8.5 total runs in this game. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Yankees vs Rays Odds
| Yankees Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +159 | 8.5 -113o / -108u | -101 |
| Rays Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -196 | 8.5 -113o / -108u | -121 |
Yankees vs Rays Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Cam Schlittler (NYY) | Stat | RHP Drew Rasmussen (TB) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | W-L | 10-5 |
| 0.0 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 2.8 |
| 3.94 / 4.56 | ERA / xERA | 2.60 / 3.44 |
| 5.24 / 4.25 | FIP / xFIP | 3.34 / 3.44 |
| 1.52 | WHIP | 0.98 |
| 12.3 | K-BB% | 17.0 |
| 41.2 | GB% | 50.2 |
| 115 | Stuff+ | 112 |
| 95 | Location+ | 103 |
Yankees vs Rays Preview
Cam Schlittler is performing his best in the season. He has three straight starts with two earned runs or fewer.
The Yankees starter is coming off a great outing against the Twins, giving up just two hits and one run in five complete innings.
He will also catch the Tampa Bay offense at a low point. The Rays have scored six runs combined in their last three games.
Schlitter also does better on the road with a 3.60 ERA compared to his 4.12 ERA at home.
Drew Rasmussen will get the ball for Tampa tonight, and although he has a more challenging task versus a good Yankees lineup, he has been stellar this season.
Rasmussen holds a 2.08 ERA in his previous seven starts and has a 2.55 ERA at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Rays' home ground.
He has allowed a total of just one run in his past three starts combined, and already successfully faced the Yankees this season, conceding only three runs and seven hits in 10 and 1/3 innings across two outings in April and July.
This aligns with our Bet Labs recommendation for the under.
The Silent Sharp Unders system targets regular-season MLB games where both teams are performing well, yet the total has quietly dropped from open to close.
These are games featuring competent, winning teams with recent success, stable weather conditions, and closing totals in a common scoring range.
Despite both teams showing strength, the market subtly favors the under, likely due to matchup specifics, pitching, or pace factors.
By following this soft signal — when the public eye is more focused on win streaks and not totals — this system finds value in betting against inflated scoring expectations.
Pick: Under 8.5 (-105, Fanatics)
