Yankees vs. Rays Prediction and Odds for Monday, June 20 (Tampa Bay Offense Holding Team Back vs. Gerrit Cole)

For the second time in two weeks two American League contenders are set to do battle, this time in St. Petersburg.

This is a familiar matchup as both Gerrit Cole and Shane McClanahan saw the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees lineup last week, respectively, to far different success. Cole rolled through the banged up Rays lineup with six innings of shutout ball, while McClanahan didn't get help from his teammates in the field, allowing four runs (one earned).

How should we assess this matchup with a change of location?

Here are the odds from consensus sportsbooks:

Yankees vs. Rays Odds, Run Line, Total

Run Line:

• Yankees: -1.5 (+145)
• Rays: +1.5 (-175)

Moneyline:

• Yankees: -128
• Rays: +118

Total: 6.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Yankees vs. Rays Prediction and Pick

The total is as low as you can get in a battle between two elite pitchers, and it's hard to expect much out of the Rays lineup given their struggles against both the Yankees and Orioles over the past week. With injuries to the likes of Wander Franco, the team has looked hapless at the plate, and the numbers match the eye test.

Tampa Bay is bottom 10 in all hitting metrics over the past month, and should have a fair share of struggles against Cole, who can use his strikeout prowess to overpower the lowly Rays reserves.

However, I do think we are in for a low scoring affair with McClanahan due for some better variance in the field after doing a fine job against the Yanks last week. He only allowed three hits across six innings and I like the chances of the Cy Young candidate to put together another strong performance.

Each bullpen is inside the top five in ERA as a unit, so even if one or both starters are pulled early, both teams are equipped to keep this game low scoring.

I'm not looking to back the Rays as home underdogs at the plate, but I see each pitcher posing an edge, I'll grab the under despite it being so low.

LEAN: Under 6.5 (-125)

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