Yankees vs Rays Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for May 5 (Tampa Bay's Home Dominance Continues in AL East Contest)

The Tampa Bay Rays (26-6) will aim to keep their historical start to the season going when they host the New York Yankees (17-15 in the first matchup of their three-game series on Friday, May 5.

Yankees vs Rays Game Info

• Date: Friday, May 5, 2023
• Time: 6:40 PM ET
• Venue: Tropicana Field -- St. Petersburg, Florida
• Coverage: BSSUN

The Rays were expected to be a contender in the AL East, but it's safe to say no one saw this start to the season coming from the Tampa Bay squad. Manager Kevin Cash's team is a whopping 20 games over the .500 mark and has a chance to keep the momentum going against one of its rivals on Friday.

Yankees vs Rays Odds & Spread

• All MLB betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: NYY: (+152) | TB: (-180)
• Spread: NYY: +1.5 (-142) | TB: -1.5 (+118)
• Total: 8.5 -- Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)

The Rays enter this contest as notable home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 6:40 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 8.5 runs with the over being favored at -115 odds.

Yankees vs Rays Betting Trends

• The Yankees are 2-5 straight up in their last seven away games.
• The total has hit the under in four of the Yankees' last five games.
• Tampa Bay is 15-5 straight up in its last 20 games against an AL opponent.
• The total has hit the under in six of Tampa Bay's last nine home games against the Yankees.

Yankees vs Rays Prediction & Pick

The Rays are a dazzling 17-2 at home this season and it's not just because they thrive at one part of the game. Tampa Bay enters Friday night ranked first in team ERA (2.20) and third in runs (6.16) during home games. On the other side, the Yankees rank just 22nd in runs per away game this year (4.23).

New York will look to get back on track with rookie Jhony Brito on the mound. The 25-year-old has been shaky so far this campaign, logging a 2-3 record to go along with a 5.56 ERA across six starts. Fooling hitters early on will be vital for the young pro given how easily the Rays can rack up runs.

I just don't see that happening for Brito given the Rays lead the majors when it comes to first inning runs per game (0.94). Tampa Bay starter Yonny Chirinos has posted an impressive 0.64 ERA across 14.0 innings of work and is backed up by a stellar Rays bullpen that ranks first in terms of ERA (2.75).

Final Score Prediction: Yankees: 4 | Rays: 6

Yankees vs Rays Best Bet

Backing the Rays with moneyline odds set at -180 means a large wager would be needed to secure a reasonable profit. That's why shifting gears to the spread is a logical move to make. After all, the Rays have emerged victorious by at least 2 runs in 13 of their 19 home games this season. Each of the Yankees' last three road losses have all come by a margin of at least 2 runs as well. Trust Tampa Bay.

Bet: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (+118)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.