MLB Betting: Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees

So who is your favorite Andy?

Yes, the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees finish their three-game series (well, it was supposed to be four but Friday’s game was rained out) tonight in the Bronx with Tampa Bay’s Andy Sonnanstine opposing the Yanks’ Andy Pettitte.

Sonnanstine was potentially close to losing his spot in the rotation as he had been struggling. But he had one of his sharpest outings of the season last Tuesday against Kansas City, allowing two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings for the win. Sonnanstine forced 11 groundball outs (that’s key for him) and did not walk a batter. Overall he is 2-1, 5.00 vs. the Yankees. Right-handed hitters have been killing him this season, hitting.433 with eight of the nine HRs he has allowed.

Pettitte was not sharp last time out, walking six batters in five innings last Wednesday against the Rangers. At the new Yankee Stadium, he has a 5.79 ERA in six starts. This year, Pettitte has two no-decisions against the Rays, allowing eight runs in 13 1/3 innings. The lefty is 15-4 with a 3.78 ERA career against Tampa Bay, but his last outing against the Rays, on May 7, he allowed a career-high four HRs. New York is a -162 money line favorite on WagerWeb.com.

Rays first baseman Carlos Pena has huge career numbers against Pettitte, going 11-for-33 with four homers. It’s not clear if star third baseman Evan Longoria will be back in the lineup for Tampa Bay tonight. Longoria, who has been limited to two pinch-hit appearances since leaving last Tuesday’s game with soreness, could return but it likely will depend on how he does in a pregame workout.

Longoria said he felt about 85 percent on Sunday after a workout, and he did pinch-hit.

“If I feel confident I can play up to my potential and play as hard as I want, I’ll tell Joe (Maddon) I think I can be in the lineup,” he said.

MLB betting at WagerWeb.com