Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees odds, picks and prediction

The Tampa Bay Rays (34-20) and New York Yankees (29-24) open a four-game series Monday. First pitch at Yankee Stadium is set for 1:05 p.m. ET. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Rays vs. Yankees odds with MLB picks and predictions.

2021 series: Rays lead 6-3

The Rays are the hottest team in baseball. They're 15-1 in their last 16 games, recently sweeping a two-game home set against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Meanwhile, the Yankees were swept over the weekend at the Detroit Tigers and have lost five of their last six.

LHP Rich Hill is projected to start for Tampa Bay in this Memorial Day matinee. He is 3-2 with a 3.63 ERA (52 IP, 21 ER), 1.02 WHIP, 10.0 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 10 starts this season.

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• Last outing: Loss, 8 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 13 K in 2-1 home decision to Kansas City Royals Tuesday
• Career vs. Yankees: 3-2, 4.05 ERA (33 1/3 IP, 15 ER), 1.35 WHIP, 11.3 K/9 in 5 starts and 8 relief appearances
• 2021 vs. Yankees: 2-0, 2.84 ERA (12 2/3 IP, 4 ER), 7 H, 3 BB, 16 K in 2 starts

RHP Jameson Taillon is the Yankees' projected starter. He is 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA (42 2/3 IP, 24 ER), 1.22 WHIP, 10.5 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 9 starts.

• Last outing: No-decision, 5 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K in 5-4 home victory vs. Chicago White Sox May 23
• Career vs. Rays: 1-1, 3.27 ERA (11 IP, 4 ER), 13 H, 4 BB, 13 K in 2 starts
• 2021 vs. Rays: 0-1, 7.71 ERA (4 2/3 IP, 4 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 9 K in 9-1 road loss May 13

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Rays at Yankees odds, lines, picks and prediction

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:25 a.m. ET.

• Money line : Rays -105 (bet $105 to win $100) | Yankees -115 (bet $115 to win $100)
• Against the spread/ATS : Rays -1.5 (+155) | Yankees +1.5 (-190)
• Over/Under : 8.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Prediction

Rays 6, Yankees 2

Money line (ML)

The red-hot RAYS (- 105) are the STRONGEST PLAY - 1½ times your usual wager. They're not intimidated by the Yankees. They're 6-3 vs. their AL East rivals this season after going 11-4 vs. them in 2020, which included a 3-2 best-of-five ALDS triumph.

As for playing at Yankee Stadium, the Rays are 8-1 in their last 9 regular-season visits, including a three-game sweep in mid-April.

Hill is another reason to bet the Rays. The 41-year-old southpaw is 2-2 with a 1.26 ERA (35 2/3 IP, 5 ER) over his last 6 starts.

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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

Back TAMPA BAY -1.5 (+ 155) with a HALF-UNIT wager. The Rays own the best ATS record in the AL while the Yankees are nine games under .500 ATS.

Plus, all six of Tampa Bay's wins vs. New York this season have been by at least 2 runs.

ATS records: Rays 34-20 | Yankees 22-31

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS. The trends are too conflicting. The Yankees are the second-best Under team in the majors, but the Rays are the second-best Over team in the AL. The Over is 5-4 in their six head-to-head meetings so far in 2021.

O/U records: Rays 32-22 | Yankees 19-33-1

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