Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Prediction, 9/23/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees

Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Location: Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY

TV: YES

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (+120) New York (-144)

The New York Yankees (89-66) are hosting the Tampa Bay Rays (95-60) at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. The odds on this game have Tampa Bay at +120 while New York is priced at -144. The betting total comes in at 8. The expected starting pitchers are Steven Matz and Gerrit Cole.

As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are scoring 4.6 runs per contest, which has them sitting at 10th in baseball. They have notched a total of 707 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .328. The Rays have accrued 217 doubles as a unit and have hit 164 baseballs out of the stadium. They have earned 672 runs batted in in addition to 1,345 base knocks on the campaign, while their team batting average sits at .259. Tampa Bay is slugging .404 and have been rung up 1,085 times, while drawing a walk on 495 occasions.

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The Rays are sitting with a team ERA of 3.70 for the season (7th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 1,261 batters. Rays pitchers have relinquished 192 home runs and 624 runs in total (6th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 385 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.03 as a squad so far this season. Tampa Bay has conceded 1,185 base hits (7.7 per 9 innings) in addition to 569 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.28 and the pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.13.

Rays relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 128 times and also have had 157 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have earned 110 holds over the course of the season (1st in baseball). The Rays relievers have a save rate of 75.0% and have come into the game in 187 save situations. They have compiled 57 saves this year and have missed out on 19 of their 76 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 182 runners on the season with 33.0% of them ended up crossing the plate. The Rays have sent 497 relievers to the hill over the course of the season.

The Rays have transformed 72.3% of balls hit into play into outs out of 12,456 innings, which has them sitting at 1st in pro baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays have accounted for 4,152 putouts this year, in addition to 1,232 assists and 89 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .984 which ranks 21st in baseball, and have earned 97 double plays.

Matz (65-67 win-loss mark in his career) has a FIP of 4.22 while he has faced 4,611 batters in the majors. He has conceded 1,094 base knocks (9.1 hits per 9 innings) and has had 315 walks. His earned run average is 4.29 (515 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.303. Matz has taken the hill for 1,081 innings and is sitting with 997 strikeouts during his pro baseball career.

New York has a total of 216 home runs for the season to go along with 681 runs batted in. They have recorded 216 two-baggers, while taking a walk 554 times as well as putting up 713 runs. The New York Yankees have accumulated an on-base percentage of .311 in addition to a batting average of .235 this season. The Yankees have a SLG% of .410 and they earn 4.60 runs per contest (9th in the league). They have struck out on 1,415 occasions (6th in MLB) and have earned a total of 1,206 hits.

The New York pitching staff have allowed 576 runs for the year while having a team ERA of 3.22 (496 earned runs yielded). They have given up 159 dingers and they allow 3.74 runs per 9 innings (1st in baseball). The Yankees hold a team WHIP of 1.166 in addition to having a FIP of 3.71 as a pitching staff so far this year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 9.00 (1,390 strikeouts against 466 walks). They rank 2nd in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 1,151.

They rank 18th in the league holding a save percentage of 61.1%, and they have sent 512 relief pitchers to the mound on the season. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 173 times in high leverage situations and on 183 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 161 save situations, the Yankees have recorded 86 holds and also 28 blown saves. New York has had relief pitchers step onto the hill in 72 save chances and they have walked away with 44 saves. New York bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 21.5% of 261 inherited runners.

The New York Yankees have gotten 120 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .984 (23rd in baseball). The Yankees have 1,344 assists, 92 errors and have amassed 4,162 putouts on the season. Out of their 12,486 innings on the field, the Yankees have earned a efficiency on defense of 71.3% (5th in professional baseball).

Thus far in his career, Cole has surrendered 1,739 hits and he has 2,374 strikeouts in 2,075 frames. Cole (162-89 career mark) holds a 3.21 ERA while conceding 7.5 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded a total of 739 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.090 and a FIP of 3.2. His strikeout to walk ratio is 4.55 and he has gone up against 8,358 opposing batters so far in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take New York (-144)

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