Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Picks and Prediction for Sunday, May 24, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Tampa Bay Rays face the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York, on Sunday at 1:35 PM ET, with coverage on MLB.TV. Tampa Bay Rays (34-15, 15-10 Away) meet New York Yankees (30-22, 16-9 Home) with Shane McClanahan facing Will Warren. Tampa Bay has won five straight, including a 4-2 road win over New York on May 22. The Yankees have dropped three straight, with the latest loss also coming against the Rays. Baseball excitement starts here! Dive into our MLB picks for Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees picks prediction.
Rays Keep Rolling Behind Pitching and Contact
The Tampa Bay Rays enter this matchup with a 34-15 record, and the Rays have been the steadier team in this spot based on the numbers provided. Tampa Bay is batting .261 with a .335 OBP, .390 SLG, 236 runs, 430 hits, and 41 home runs. The Rays have also posted a 3.54 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a .227 opponent batting average. In the most recent game, Tampa Bay beat New York 4-2 at Yankee Stadium, which continued a strong five-game run that also included wins over Baltimore by scores of 5-3, 4-1, and 16-6, plus a 6-3 win over Miami.
Shane McClanahan gives Tampa Bay a clear starting pitching edge in run prevention. McClanahan is 5-2 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 44.2 innings, allowing 30 hits, 17 walks, and two home runs while striking out 47. That matters against a Yankees lineup that has power but a lower team average at .234. Junior Caminero leads Tampa Bay with 13 home runs, while Yandy Diaz is batting .311 with a .391 OBP and .497 SLG. Jonathan Aranda leads the Rays with 38 RBIs. Tampa Bay does not match New York’s home run total, but the Rays are getting more hits, reaching base more often, and pairing that with strong pitching.
Injuries: Austin Vernon, RP, 7-Day IL. Logan Driscoll, C, 7-Day IL. Tre’ Morgan, 1B, 7-Day IL. TJ Nichols, P, 7-Day IL. Keyshawn Askew, RP, 7-Day IL.
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Yankees Power Needs Support From Warren
The New York Yankees enter this matchup with a 30-22 record and a strong 16-9 home mark, but the current form is a concern. New York has lost three straight games, falling 4-2 to Tampa Bay on May 22 after losing 2-0 and 2-1 to Toronto. The Yankees did beat Toronto 5-4 and 7-6 before that skid, so the lineup has shown scoring upside, but the last three results point to a cold stretch at the plate. New York has scored 252 runs with 398 hits, 74 home runs, a .328 OBP, and a .426 SLG.
Will Warren gets the start for the Yankees, and Warren has been productive with a 6-1 record, 3.61 ERA, and 1.18 WHIP across 52.1 innings. Warren has allowed 49 hits, 13 walks, and six home runs while striking out 62. The strikeout count is strong, but Tampa Bay’s contact numbers and .335 OBP create a tough matchup. Aaron Judge leads New York with 16 home runs and 30 RBIs, while Ben Rice has been the best all-around bat listed with a .287 average, .383 OBP, .635 SLG, 16 home runs, and 33 RBIs. New York has more power than Tampa Bay, but the Yankees have fewer hits and a lower batting average, which matters against McClanahan.
Injuries: Giancarlo Stanton, DH, 10-Day IL. Travis MacGregor, SP, 60-Day IL. Jasson Dominguez, LF, 10-Day IL. Angel Chivilli, RP, 15-Day IL. Max Fried, SP, 15-Day IL.
Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Pick
Spread Pick for Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Picks
- Tampa Bay (5 units)
The Rays are the better side based on the provided form, starting pitching matchup, and offensive consistency. Tampa Bay has won five straight games and just beat this same Yankees team 4-2 on the road. McClanahan’s 2.82 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 47 strikeouts, and only two home runs allowed give Tampa Bay a strong base, especially against a Yankees lineup hitting .234 as a team. Warren has been solid, but the Rays have the better batting average, more hits, a higher OBP, and a steadier recent scoring pattern. New York has the home run edge, but Tampa Bay’s current run, contact numbers, and McClanahan’s form make the Rays the pick.
Over/Under Pick for Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Picks
- Under (4 units)
The under is the stronger total lean because both projected starters have numbers that point toward limited scoring. McClanahan has a 2.82 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, while Warren has a 3.61 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Tampa Bay’s staff owns a 3.54 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, while New York’s staff has a 3.30 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. The most recent matchup finished 4-2, and the Yankees have scored only three total runs across the last three games. New York’s power can change a game, but the recent scoring trend, two capable starters, and both pitching staffs sitting near the low-to-mid threes in ERA point to another lower-scoring matchup.
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