Yankees @ Rays

Who will WIN this matchup?

New York Yankees (56-29)

@ Tampa Bay Rays (50-38)

Starting Pitchers:

Tanaka (NYY): 5-5; 3.74 ERA

McKay (TB) 1-0; 0.00 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

New York Yankees: 8-2

Tampa Bay Rays: 5-5

Current odds:

New York Yankees: (-109)

Tampa Bay Rays: (-101)

• The New York Yankees took a bit of a circuitous route to their 15th win in 17 outings, but a five-run 10th inning in the series opener allowed the club to build a season-high 7 1/2-game lead atop the American League East. The Yankees aim to continue their torrid stretch on Friday when they play the second contest of their four-game set against the host Tampa Bay Rays. After New York squandered a ninth-inning lead, DJ LeMahieu had a two-run single in the 10th and fellow All-Star Gary Sanchez followed two batters later with a mammoth three-run homer into the second deck in Thursday’s 8-4 victory.

• The Yankees have won eight of 10 meetings with the Rays this season, averaging 6.0 runs and belting 15 homers while recording a 2.70 ERA as opposed to Tampa Bay’s 5.08 ERA in the series. Austin Meadows had a double and a single on Thursday to improve to 11-for-36 with five extra-base hits (two doubles, three homers) versus New York this season. However, the 24-year-old is just 2-for-9 with a homer against Friday starter Masahiro Tanaka.

• Tanaka did not enjoy his London experience as the 30-year-old Japanese star allowed six runs in just two-thirds of an inning in a no-decision against Boston. Tanaka has pitched significantly better versus Tampa Bay this season, highlighting a 2-0 mark in three outings on June 17 by tossing a career-best two-hitter with 10 strikeouts for his fourth major league shutout. Tanaka boasts a 4-2 record with a 1.29 ERA in seven starts against the Rays since July 28, 2017 — including a three-hit shutout on July 24, 2018.

• McKay made quite the major league debut on Saturday as the 23-year-old retired the first 16 batters he faced before exiting after allowing one hit over six shutout innings in a 5-2 victory over Texas. Selected fourth overall in the 2017 draft, McKay posted a 6-0 mark with a 1.22 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 13 appearances (66 2/3 innings) split between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham. McKay became the fourth player since 1913 to begin his career with a start as a pitcher and a non-pitcher within his first two games after going 0-for-4 versus Baltimore on Monday.

• New York 2B Gleyber Torres was added to the AL All-Star team as a replacement for Tampa Bay IF Brandon Lowe, who was placed on the injured list with a bruised right shin.

• Rays RF Avisail Garcia has six hits, seven RBIs and three runs scored in his last six contests.

• Yankees OF Brett Gardner has six hits, four RBIs and four runs scored in his last six games.