Yankees vs. Rays ALDS prediction, odds: Bronx Bombers primed to down AL East rivals
The Yankees’ recipe for success was on full display against the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card round.The Pinstripes received exquisite starting pitching from Cam Schlittler and Max Fried, which allowed the offense to find its rhythm — in a big way.With Aaron Judge still questionable and Giancarlo Stanton compromised, the Bronx Bombers will need to adopt a damage-by-committee approach with the bat.Against Boston, it was Ben Rice who led the way, but the Pinstripes got big moments from Austin Wells, George Lombard Jr., Cody Bellinger, Luis Garcia Jr.and Spencer Jones.Ten different Yankees scored a run in the two games against the Red Sox.Things are not going to come as easily against the Tampa Bay Rays.While the Red Sox were a poor man’s version of the Yankees, the Rays can beat you in a number of different ways.Tampa Bay is above-average at just about everything, and manager Kevin Cash is among the best in the sport at making adjustments and finding matchups to exploit weaknesses, especially in a five-game series.It can’t get any tighter than this.The Rays have home-field advantage and won the AL East, but the oddsmakers have this series as a coin flip.
It makes sense on a lot of levels.Tampa Bay was the most consistent team in the American League this season.The Rays clawed ahead of the Yankees on June 27 and stayed there.The Rays’ longest losing streak of the season was five games, and it only lost three in a row three times since they took over first place.As consistent as the Rays were this summer, the Yankees still hung in for most of the season despite a litany of injuries to a host of superstars.
The formula was simple: Rely on their elite pitching staff to take pressure off their injury-ravaged lineup.The plan worked, as the offense is now getting healthier, and the rotation is perfectly poised for this best-of-five against Tampa Bay.Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon will get the ball in Game 1, then likely Schlittler in Game 2, before some combination...