The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays continue their four-game set tonight in American League East action.
While Carlos Rodon may be struggling, he’s missing lots of bats and I’ll explain why that will continue in my Yankees vs. Rays predictions.
Keep reading for my MLB picks for Friday, April 18.
Yankees vs Rays prediction
My Yankees vs Rays best bet: Carlos Rodon Over 6.5 strikeouts (+115 at Bet365)
Carlos Rodon has always been a strikeout pitcher during his big league career. The lefty averages 10 Ks per nine innings, and he’s doing a lot of the same in 2025. Despite Rodon’s 5.48 ERA through four starts, he’s struck out 28 in 23 innings of work.
The veteran has cashed the Over in punchouts in two straight contests, racking up eight Ks against the San Francisco Giants and another eight versus the Detroit Tigers in the start before that. Yes, he’s walking too many hitters and has been prone to the long ball, but you can usually count on his ability to strike out opponents.
When it comes to facing the Tampa Bay Rays, Rodon had 15 strikeouts in 11 innings last season. Against this current Tampa Bay lineup, Rodon has 17 Ks in 41 at-bats – nearly half. I have minimal confidence in Rodon throwing a scoreless outing, but I do believe he will collect his fair share of punchouts in this contest.
Yankees vs Rays same-game parlay (SGP)
Carlos Rodon Over 6.5 strikeouts
Ben Rice Over 0.5 hits
Jake Mangum Over 0.5 hits
Ben Rice has stepped in as the New York Yankees’ new starting first baseman and done a phenomenal job. In 17 games, he’s already hitting .317 with five home runs and nine RBI. Rice has emerged as one of the team’s best hitters. He’s also just two long balls shy of last year’s total, but he, of course, didn’t play a ton in the big leagues.
The 26-year-old tore the cover off the baseball on Thursday, leading New York to victory as he went 4 for 5 at the dish. In fact, he has at least one hit in four of his last five appearances. Although he’s only slashed .107 against the Rays lifetime, he’s never faced Drew Rasmussen. I’ll ride Rice’s hot bat here.
Before 2025, essentially nobody knew who Jake Mangum was. But the rookie is quickly making a name for himself. In 16 contests, the center fielder is batting .345 with 19 hits in 55 at-bats. The youngster has been on a tear lately, registering a minimum of one hit in five consecutive games.
Mangum was 2 for 3 against the Yankees on Thursday and has three multi-hit games since April 14. Mangum is swinging it with boatloads of confidence, and he shouldn’t have any issues finding another base knock at the very least this evening.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Yankees vs Rays odds
Yankees vs Rays live odds
Yankees vs Rays opening odds
- Moneyline: New York -120 | Tampa Bay +100
- Run line: New York -1.5 (+140) | Tampa Bay +1.5 (-165)
- Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-115)
Yankees vs Rays trend
The New York Yankees have hit the Game Total Over in 95 of their last 176 games (+14.35 Units / 7% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Rays.
How to watch Yankees vs Rays and game info
| Location | George Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL |
| Date | Friday, 4-18-2025 |
| First pitch | 7:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | YES, FanDuel Sports Network Sun |
| Yankees starting pitcher | Carlos Rodon (1-3, 5.48 ERA) |
| Rays starting pitcher | Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 0.60 ERA) |
Yankees vs Rays latest injuries
Yankees vs Rays weather
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