The Tampa Bay Rays host the New York Yankees on April 12, 2026. First pitch from Tropicana Field is scheduled for 1:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on YES.
The Yankees are favored by -142 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Rays are +120 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 7.5 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Yankees vs Rays prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Yankees vs Rays Prediction
- Yankees vs Rays Pick: Under 7.5
My Yankees vs Rays best bet is on the Under. 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 +126 | 7.5 -106o / -114u | -142 |
| Rays Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -152 | 7.5 -106o / -114u | +120 |
- Yankees vs Rays spread: Yankees -1.5 (+126), Rays +1.5 (-142)
- Yankees vs Rays over/under: 7.5 (-106o / -114u)
- Yankees vs Rays moneyline: Yankees -142, Rays +120
Yankees vs Rays Pitchers
| Cam Schlittler (RHP) | Stat | Drew Rasmussen (RHP) |
|---|---|---|
| 2-0 | W-L | 0-0 |
| 1.0 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.1 |
| 1.62 / 1.46 | ERA / xERA | 1.80 / 3.32 |
| 0.51 / 1.20 | FIP / xFIP | 4.05 / 2.59 |
| 0.48 | WHIP | 0.70 |
| 37.9% | K-BB% | 22.5% |
| 51.4% | GB% | 46.4% |
| 113 | Stuff+ | 105 |
| 112 | Location+ | 111 |
Yankees vs Rays Preview
The Rays snagged wins over the Yankees in the first two games of this weekend series. The Yankees have dropped four straight games, while the Rays could tie them for first place with a win.
I'm not sold on who'll win this game, but I am sold on it being a pitchers' duel.
Yankees rookie Cam Schlittler might be the best pitcher in the American League so far. He boasts a 1.62 ERA with a 1.46 xERA and a 0.51 FIP. He sits at 97.6 mph on his four-seamer and hasn't walked a single batter or allowed a homer this year.
Schlittler added a sinker to his arsenal, and that made a world of difference for him. He throws his four-seamer, sinker, and cutter more than 20% of the time, which can make life tough on hitters. All of them are variations of fastballs, but each has a different goal.
He'll have to rely more on contact outs in this matchup. The Rays love to hit for contact, as they boast the lowest strikeout rate in MLB. Last year, that was a concern for Schlittler, but he can rely on his sinker to get quick outs.
The Rays have a strong lineup, ranking sixth in wRC+. Most of their damage comes from the top of the lineup, though. If Schlittler can get past Yandy Diaz, Junior Caminero, Chandler Simpson, and Jonathan Aranda, he can breeze past the woeful 5-9 hitters.
Schlittler is awesome, but so is Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen. Rasmussen boasts a 1.80 ERA, but the advanced metrics are less strong: his xERA is 3.32, and his FIP is 4.05.
He'll eventually face some regression, but I don't see it coming here. He owns the Yankees, holding them to a 1.19 ERA in 44 1/3 career innings. In three outings against the Bronx Bombers in 2025, Rasmussen went 5+ innings each time and gave up two or fewer runs in each outing. That would be an ideal dream for the under.
Plus, the Yankees' offense has been horrible for the past week. They rank 24th with a 79 wRC+ over their past six games. Now, will that last? Of course not. Aaron Judge will be himself soon enough, but outside of Judge and Ben Rice, this lineup has real issues.
Jazz Chisholm and Trent Grisham have done nothing for the Yankees this year, each hitting well below .200. Those two have to hit in the top five of the order since Austin Wells, Ryan McMahon, and Jose Caballero are in there more for defense.
Rasmussen should contain this struggling lineup.
Yankees vs Rays Picks
I wouldn't be shocked if this game ended 2-1.
This will be a beautiful pitchers' duel and hopefully lead to an under.
Pick: Under 7.5
