Yankees vs. Rays Prediction and Odds for Tuesday, June 21 (Bet on Nestor Cortes to Beat TB for the Third Time)

The New York Yankees continue their dominating season and have opened up a 10+ game lead on every other team in the AL East.

That includes The Yankees opponents on Tuesday, the third-place Tampa Bay Rays. New York just swept the Rays last week in three games and can continue to pad their lead with a victory in Game 2 of this series. Considering that no team has done well against the Yankees this year, I don’t expect much from the Rays tonight based on a pitching mismatch. 

Here are the odds for this game, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook. 

Yankees vs. Rays Odds, Run Line, and Total

Run Line

• Yankees: -1.5 (+105)
• Rays: +1.5 (-125)

Moneyline:

• Yankees: -170
• Rays: +145

Total:

• 7 (Over -115/Under -105)

Yankees vs. Rays Prediction and Pick

I don’t know if I technically can call this game a pitching mismatch considering I don’t know who the Rays are starting today. But, Nestor Cortes is making the start for New York and I don’t see anyone on the Rays roster that is better than him. Cortes is 6-2 with a 1.94 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 69 ⅔ innings this year. Cortes is one of the reasons that New York is leading the MLB in wins and has already beaten the Rays twice this year.

His last game out against Tampa Bay, Cortes surrendered just one run on three hits in 5 ⅓ innings. 

While we don’t know today’s pitcher for Tampa Bay, we do know their history against Cortes at the plate. The current Rays lineup has a lifetime batting average of just .178 against Cortes with an OPS of .470. In 74 total at-bats, the Rays have just one home run and seven extra-base hits. 

As I stated above, there is no name on this Rays roster that would give me enough confidence to bet on them today. The Yankees with Cortes are nearly unbeatable and I think he steamrolls the Rays for the third straight game. 

Pick: Yankees -1.5 (+105)

Follow all of Matt De Saro’s betting picks HERE