The Yankees and Rays continue their rivalry in Game 3 of the ALDS.
The Tampa Rays and New York Yankees are finally squaring off in the postseason and the first two games have not disappointed. The Bronx Bombers blew out Tampa by a score of 9-3 in Game 1 only for the Rays to respond with a 7-5 victory in Game 2.
Game 3 provides an intriguing pitching matchup as Masahiro Tanaka opposes Charlie Morton. The latter has not pitched since September 25, while the former last pitched in rain-soaked outing in Cleveland last week.
#TanakaTime for Game 3. pic.twitter.com/XLxP46dPbM
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 7, 2020
What to watch for in Game 3
Giancarlo Stanton remains the dominant force in that Yankees lineup. He hit two home runs in Game 2 and not pitching to him may be the better strategy. The opposite is true for Aaron Judge, who has two hits in four postseason games.
The talk about Tanaka this postseason has been whether any given start will be his final one in a Yankees uniform. Taking down Cleveland kept the party alive and a good start in Game 3 could mean Tanaka is pitching in the ALCS in the final year of his contract.
The Rays, however, stand out as a formidable opponent to end Tanaka’s Yankees tenure early. The team went 8-2 against their divisional rival in the regular season and saw the bats wake up early in Game 2. The key now will be for Morton to revert back to his past ways after finishing the regular season with a 4.74 ERA.
How to live stream Game 3
First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on TBS. Fans can also find live streams via the MLB streams subreddit.