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Robert Hanashiro / USA TODAY Sports

Teams trending in opposite directions of late clash when the Tampa Bay Rays visit the New York Yankees in a key American League East Division showdown on Memorial Day afternoon. The first-place Rays (34-20), who have won four in a row, have won all three games played at Yankee Stadium this year. The third-place Yankees (29-24), who have lost three in a row, are 17-10 in May. Tampa Bay has won six of nine meetings with New York this season.

The game from New York will start at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Yankees are fifth in MLB with a 3.20 team ERA, while the Rays are eighth at 3.42. New York is listed as the -121 favorite (risk $121 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Rays vs. Yankees odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total runs scored is 8.5. Before finalizing any Yankees vs. Rays picks, check out the latest MLB predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

This model, which simulates every pitch of every game 10,000 times, had a banner 2019 season, the league's last full schedule, returning more than $1,400 on its top-rated money-line and run-line MLB picks. It is off to a fast start in 2021, going 61-44 on top-rated MLB money-line picks through eight weeks, returning well over $700. Anyone following it has seen huge rewards.

Now, the model has dialed in on Yankees vs. Rays. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the MLB lines and trends for Rays vs. Yankees:

  • Rays vs. Yankees money line: Tampa Bay +110, New York -121
  • Rays vs. Yankees run line: New York -1.5 (+155)
  • Rays vs. Yankees over-under: 8.5 runs
  • TB: The Rays are 5-0 in their last five road games against a team with a winning record
  • NYY: The Yankees are 5-0 in their last five games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .600

Why you should back the Yankees

New York will send right-hander Jameson Taillon (1-3, 5.06 ERA) to the mound. Taillon is looking for a strong follow-up to his outing against the Chicago White Sox last Sunday. Among those heating up for the Yankees offensively is shortstop Gleyber Torres, who went 3-for-11 (.273) in the weekend series at Detroit. Torres had been red hot, going 11-for-18 (.611) in a five-game stretch in mid-May, before going 0-for-9 prior to the Tigers series. For the year, he is batting .265 with two homers, 19 RBIs and 16 runs scored. In 42 career games against the Rays, Torres has had his moments with two homers and 11 RBIs against them.

Infielder DJ LeMahieu has been dominant at the plate, going 6-for-16 (.375) with a walk over the past four games. For the season, he is hitting .267 with three homers, 14 RBIs and 32 runs scored. He has also hit well in his home park, batting .274 in 24 games at Yankee Stadium in 2021. LeMahieu has displayed his power against the Rays this year, hitting three doubles and one home run in nine games. In 36 career games vs. Tampa Bay, LeMahieu is batting .263 with five doubles, seven home runs and 19 RBIs.

Why you should back the Rays

Left-hander Rich Hill (3-2, 3.63 ERA) will get the start for Tampa Bay. Hill is 2-2 with a 1.26 ERA in his past four starts. In his last outing, he allowed just two earned runs on six hits in eight innings in a loss to Kansas City on Tuesday. He did not walk a batter, while striking out 13. On May 13, he picked up the win in a 9-1 victory over the Yankees, allowing no runs on three hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked three, while striking out nine.

Offensively, infielder Joey Wendle has been on a tear, and is hitting .302 with six homers and 26 RBIs with 34 runs scored on the season. He has hits in eight of his past 13 games, including two four-hit and two three-hit performances. Two weeks ago at Baltimore, Wendle was 7-for-11 with a double, triple, two homers and two RBIs in two games. In eight games vs. the Yankees this season, Wendle is batting .385 with two homers and five RBIs.

How to make Rays vs. Yankees picks

SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, as the teams combine for 9.5 runs in the simulations, and it also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only see the pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Rays vs. Yankees? And which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the money line to jump on, all from the advanced model off to a hot start in 2021.