Yankees Hope Judge's Clutch Hit Sparks Hot Streak Against Rays

The New York Yankees are hoping that Aaron Judge's clutch hit against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night will be the spark they need to ignite a hot streak against their AL East rivals. Judge's go-ahead single in the eighth inning helped the Yankees defeat the Rays 5-4, snapping a three-game losing streak.

The win was seen as a potential turning point for the Yankees, who have struggled to find consistency at the plate this season. Judge's performance was particularly important, as the team looks to build momentum and gain ground in the competitive AL East division.

The Yankees and Rays, two heated rivals, are set to open a weekend series at Yankee Stadium. The Rays are coming off a split in a four-game series against the Angels, while the Yankees rallied late to beat the Blue Jays and avoid a sweep. Last season, the Rays won the season series 8-5 against the Yankees.

In Friday's game, the Rays will start Tyler Alexander, who is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA against the Yankees. The Yankees will counter with Clarke Schmidt, who is 1-3 with a 4.24 ERA against the Rays. The Yankees are looking to maintain their lead in the AL East, while the Rays are hoping to gain ground.

The Yankees enter the series with a 13-6 record, the best in the American League. They have struggled at Tampa Bay in recent years, but playing at home should give them an advantage. The pitching matchups for the rest of the series are not yet known, but the Yankees are expected to start Nestor Cortes and Luis Gil.

From a betting perspective, the Yankees are the favored team with -156 moneyline odds to win against the underdog Rays at +132. The Yankees are also the run-line favorite (-1.5), and the game's over/under is set at 9 runs.

Why this matters: The Yankees-Rays rivalry is one of the most intense in baseball, and this series could have significant implications for the AL East standings. With both teams expected to contend for the division title, every game matters in this tightly contested race.

The Yankees will look to build on Judge's clutch hit and their strong start to the season in this crucial series against the Rays. The upcoming games will be a test of the Yankees' resilience and ability to perform under pressure against a tough division opponent. Fans can watch the action unfold on Amazon's Prime Video and other local television networks.

Key Takeaways

• Aaron Judge's clutch hit led Yankees to 5-4 win over Rays, snapping 3-game skid.
• Yankees (13-6) host Rays in crucial AL East series; Rays won season series 8-5 in 2023.
• Yankees start Schmidt (1-3, 4.24 ERA vs Rays), Rays start Alexander (0-1, 3.38 ERA vs Yankees).
• Yankees are favorites (-156 ML) as they look to maintain AL East lead, Rays aim to gain ground.
• Series could have significant implications for AL East standings as both teams contend for division title.