Yankees, Rays announce starting lineups for series opener on Tuesday night
The Yankees are back at it tonight as they begin a three-game set with the Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
It's been anything but positive for the Bronx Bombers, who have split or lost seven straight series and are a woeful 6-16 in their past 22 games leading to a free fall in the American League standings and out of the lead of the AL East.
After three shaky starts to end June (0-3 record with 20 earned runs allowed in 13 2/3 innings), Carlos Rodon was better in his first start in July as he finished with eight strikeouts and only three hits allowed in 5 1/3 innings. However, the 31-year-old southpaw conceded two home runs which ultimately ended up being the difference in a 3-2 loss to the Reds on July 3.
Rodon comes into tonight's affair with a loss in four straight outings and seeing his ERA catapult from 2.93 to 4.45 in that short span.
Rays' starter Ryan Pepiot is in a similar situation, as he gave up only two runs on four hits in four innings last Wednesday against the Royals but still took the loss in a 4-2 defeat in Kansas City. It was the first time the 26-year-old didn't record a single strikeout in and appearances this season.
This came after one of Pepiot's best starts of 2024, where he conceded one run on just one hit with eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings but received a no-decision in Tampa Bay's 5-2 loss versus the Mariners on June 26.
The Rays are fighting to stay in the AL wild card race but didn't help themselves this past weekend when they were swept at the hands of the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers.
In 2024, the Yankees lead the head-to-head series 4-2 with series wins in the Bronx in mid-April and in Tampa Bay a few weeks later in early May.
Here are the starting lineups for the Yankees and Rays in tonight's series opener: