Tampa Bay
Rays
Moneyline
+118
MLB Predictions
Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Predictions
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 7:05pm EST
@
New York
Yankees
90-67
Moneyline
-143
50%
50%
Spread
Tampa Bay Rays +1.5
New York Yankees -1.5
Moneyline
Tampa Bay Rays +118
New York Yankees -143
Total
Over 6.5 (-110)
Under 6.5 (-109)
Professional Picks
5 listed
Professional Picks On This Game
Rich Roth
Money pick
Kit Wilson
Total pick
Stevie March
Total pick
Jonah Black
Money pick
Abe Howland
Spread pick
Rays vs. Yankees Prediction: Cole Offers an Edge, but the Bet Is a Pass
Analysis updated September 23, 2026 at 5:15 AM CDT
New York gets a tentative nod with Cole listed to start. Both teams have clinched their postseason positions, and their lineups remain unconfirmed.
Cole gives New York the pitching edge
Gerrit Cole's 3.63 ERA against Ian Seymour's 4.38 gives the Yankees a starting point for favoritism, but that gap alone doesn't justify SPF's -158 moneyline. NYC Sports Wire, a New York sports outlet, lists Cole and Tampa Bay left-hander Seymour as the probable starters for September 23 at Yankee Stadium, while noting that assignments can change.
New York is the tentative winner pick if those starters hold. The lower ERA supports that choice, though it doesn't establish the roughly 61.2% win probability needed to break even at -158.
Postseason spots are settled
MLB.com reports that Tampa Bay has clinched the AL East and the American League's No. 1 seed, while New York has secured the first AL Wild Card. Those positions don't establish who will rest or how long either starter will pitch. With lineups unconfirmed, there's no basis to assume either team will field a reduced lineup.
The wager is Pass. SPF offers Tampa Bay at +131 and a total of 7, but lineup and bullpen availability remain unresolved. Those gaps don't create a case for the underdog or a reliable over/under bet.
Pick
New York Yankees
Confidence
low
Betting lean
Pass