The New York Yankees have recently come out of their funk. Things had gotten bad enough that some names like Buck Showalter (who works for the YES Network) were being floated as possible successors for manager Aaron Boone, who hadn’t found any answers.

But now the pinstripers are feeling a lot better. They just completed a homestand where they won seven of nine games and are bringing last year’s top slugger back into the lineup.

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But for bettors who seek to back the Bronx Bombers, there is no scarier sight than that of the Tampa Bay Rays, who most assuredly have their number.

New York is one percentage point ahead of Tampa Bay, as these clubs are in a virtual tie for second place in the AL East. And they’ll meet on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. It’ll be southpaw Jordan Montgomery for the Yanks and righty Luis Patino for the Rays.

So can the Yankees turn things around in this ongoing series? We’ll let you know, as we cash another ticket on Tuesday.

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays Predictions

Yankees vs. Rays Betting Trends

When: 7:08 PM ET (Tuesday)

MLB Betting Odds

Money Line: Yankees -130 / Rays +110

Total: Over 8 Runs -115 / Under 8 Runs -105

Run Line: Yankees -1.5 Runs (+125) / Rays +1.5 Runs (-145)

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The Yankees scored their second straight walk-off victory on Sunday, as Giancarlo Stanton, who had gone hitless in the series, singled in the winning run in the 3-2 triumph over Washington.

Aaron Judge sat out Sunday’s game. He has been dealing with lower leg soreness, and has gone one for his last 20 official at bats. There would appear to be no reason to believe he won’t play Tuesday.

The question is, who will join him? Luke Voit had surgery on a partially torn meniscus before the season started; last year’s big league home run leader had three round-trippers in 18 at bast in a Triple-A rehab assignment and has been summoned. You could see him in the lineup on Tuesday.

You might also see third baseman Gio Urshela, who sat out the Washington series with knee problems.

But will it ultimately matter who’s in the lineup and who isn’t? Tampa Bay, which beat the Yankees in last year’s American League Division Series, have won 16 of the last 22 meetings, including five out of six this year. The Yankees have batted just .168 against Rays’ pitching.

Tampa Bay has a load of right-handers who can throw heat, and that isn’t good medicine for all the right-handed hitters with the Yankees. Patino is one of those righty hurlers, and he’s had a 0.52 WHIP ratio in 7-2/3 innings. Manager Kevin Cash may just use him as an “opener” for a couple of innings, but there are a lot of guys behind him.

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The rough thing for New York is that their left-handed hitters aren’t likely to rescue them. As a team, they were batting just .161 from the left side going into Sunday’s game. And yes, the Rays’ right-handers have snuffed them out, also, to the tune of a .128 average and .363 OPS this year.That’s not an accident, either; Yankee lefties hit just .179 against Rays righties in 2020.

The Rays are just pretty damn good at outsmarting the Yankees, and that makes up for about a $130 million difference in payroll. With Monday off, they have a whole staff of fresh pitchers, which means something here. As an underdog at home, we are more than willing to grab that price.

The Play: TAMPA BAY +110