Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Picks and Prediction for Saturday May 23 2026
Use Code WWWC The Tampa Bay Rays visit the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday at 1:35 PM ET on MLB.TV. Tampa Bay is 33-15 and first in the AL East, while New York is 30-21 and second in the division. The Rays have won four straight games after sweeping Baltimore, while the Yankees have dropped two consecutive games against Toronto. Tampa Bay also leads the season series 3-0 entering this weekend's series. Cash in with our free MLB picks.
Rays Continue Dominating the AL East
Tampa Bay enters this matchup after a 5-3 win over Baltimore and has won four consecutive games overall. The Rays have scored 31 runs during the winning streak and continue to hold the best record in the American League. Tampa Bay has also played well away from home with a 14-10 road record entering Yankee Stadium.
The Rays are hitting .261 with a .335 on-base percentage and .391 slugging percentage, producing 232 runs on 422 hits. Yandy Diaz has been outstanding with a .316 batting average, eight home runs, and a .394 OBP, while Junior Caminero has added 13 home runs and 27 RBI. Jonathan Aranda leads the club with 37 RBI and an .815 OPS, and Chandler Simpson has contributed 14 stolen bases with a .288 average. Tampa Bay has totaled 41 home runs and 67 doubles through 48 games this season.
Pitching has been a major strength for Tampa Bay. The Rays carry a 3.57 ERA and 1.19 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .225 batting average. Tampa Bay has also recorded 377 strikeouts through 48 games and ranks near the top of MLB in overall run prevention. The bullpen has continued to perform well during the current winning streak.
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Injuries: Yandy Diaz, Day-To-Day, Austin Vernon, 7-Day IL, Logan Driscoll, 7-Day IL, Tre’ Morgan, 7-Day IL, TJ Nichols, 7-Day IL
Yankees Looking to Respond at Home
New York is coming off back-to-back losses against Toronto after splitting the previous four games. The Yankees remain one of the stronger offensive teams in baseball despite the recent losses, and the club has gone 16-8 at home this season, entering the series against Tampa Bay.
The Yankees are hitting .233 with a .328 on-base percentage and .424 slugging percentage, producing 250 runs on 387 hits. Aaron Judge leads the lineup with 16 home runs and 30 RBI, while Ben Rice has matched Judge with 16 home runs while batting .288 with a 1.030 OPS. Cody Bellinger has added 48 hits and a .469 slugging percentage, and Paul Goldschmidt owns five home runs with a .925 OPS. New York has already totaled 73 home runs this season, one of the highest marks in MLB.
The Yankees have also been excellent on the mound with a 3.31 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while holding opponents to a .223 batting average. New York has recorded 449 strikeouts through 51 games, the highest total in baseball entering Saturday. However, the bullpen allowed late runs during both recent losses against Toronto.
Injuries: Jose Caballero, 10-Day IL, Trent Grisham, Day-To-Day, Gerrit Cole, 15-Day IL, Giancarlo Stanton, 10-Day IL, Travis MacGregor, 60-Day IL
Pitching Matchup
Tampa Bay Rays – Drew Rasmussen
Rasmussen is 4-1 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 48.0 innings. The right-hander has allowed 39 hits with 45 strikeouts and only nine walks while holding opponents to limited hard contact this season.
New York Yankees – Ryan Weathers
Weathers is 2-2 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 50.1 innings. The left-hander has recorded 61 strikeouts with only 13 walks while allowing 44 hits through nine starts.
Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Spread Pick
The Rays have the advantage because of stronger recent form and more consistent pitching during the last two weeks. Tampa Bay has won four straight games and already swept the Yankees earlier this season. Rasmussen has also pitched effectively against New York previously, giving the Rays a strong opportunity to continue the season-series success.
Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Over/Under Pick
This game will cash under with both starting pitchers continuing to limit baserunners at their current rates. Rasmussen owns a 1.00 WHIP, while Weathers has struck out 61 hitters in 50.1 innings. Both teams have strong bullpens, and recent divisional matchups between these clubs have remained competitive deep into games.
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