New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 4/18/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Friday, April 18, 2025

Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Sun

Odds/Point Spread: New York (-150) Tampa Bay (+125)

The New York Yankees (11-7) are hitting the road to George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday where they will try to beat the Tampa Bay Rays (8-10). The line on this contest has New York at -150 and Tampa Bay opens at +125. The over/under is 9. The starting pitchers will be Carlos Rodon and Drew Rasmussen.

The Yankees have compiled 31 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 33 balls out of the park. New York has a slugging rate of .485 and have struck out 169 times, while taking a walk on 69 occasions. As a squad, the New York Yankees are recording 5.9 runs per game, which is 1st in the league. They have tallied 103 runs batted in in addition to 154 base knocks so far this season, while their batting average comes in at .258. They have accounted for 107 runs while holding a team OBP of .343.

Get all of our Free MLB Picks

Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.28 and the pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.21. Yankees pitchers have given up 20 long balls and 83 total runs (19th in baseball). New York has conceded 112 hits (6.4 per 9 innings) and 74 earned runs. The Yankees hold a team earned run average of 4.22 for the year (22nd in MLB), and their staff has rung up 180 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 79 opposing players and their FIP sits at 3.93 as a squad over the course of the season.

The Yankees bullpen have a save percentage of 85.7% and has entered the game in 19 save situations. The relievers have inherited 29 runners on the year and 13.8% of them ended up scoring. Yankees bullpen pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 22 times and also have had 10 appearances in high leverage situations. The Yankees have sent 59 relief pitchers to the hill on the year. The relief pitchers have racked up 12 holds for the year (16th in baseball). They have earned 6 saves on the season and have missed out on 1 of their 7 save opportunities.

The New York Mets have earned a total of 474 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 136 assists and 8 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .987 which puts them in 9th in the majors, and have 8 double plays. The Yankees have transformed 74.5% of balls hit into play into outs in their 1,422 innings on the diamond, which has them ranked 3rd in MLB.

Rodon has pitched in 1,109 innings and has accounted for 1,234 strikeouts thus far in his career. Rodon (76-66 career win-loss record) holds a FIP of 3.83 while he has gone up against 4,682 batters in the majors. His ERA is 3.89 (479 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.247. He has given up 967 hits (7.8 hits per nine innings) and has had 416 walks.

The Rays have a team slugging percentage of .416 and they score 4.50 runs per game (11th in baseball). They have put up 25 doubles, while walking 56 times as well as putting up 81 runs. Tampa Bay has accumulated 19 HRs for the year to go along with 78 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 145 instances (19th in baseball) and have a total of 157 base hits. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated an on-base percentage of .330 and a team batting average of .267 so far this season.

The Tampa Bay pitching staff have conceded 67 runs so far this year while holding a team ERA of 3.45 (61 earned runs allowed). They have yielded 29 home runs and they allow 3.79 runs per 9 innings (6th in MLB). The Rays hold a team WHIP of 1.124 and have a FIP of 4.14 as a unit for the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 9.70 (172 strikeouts vs 42 walks). They rank 14th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 137.

Tampa Bay relievers hold an inherited score rate of 40.0% out of their 5 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 12 times in high leverage situations and also on 3 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 13 save situations, the Rays have 8 holds and 2 blown saves. They are ranked 19th in MLB with a save percentage of 60.0%, and they have dispatched 54 bullpen pitchers to the mound for the year. Tampa Bay has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 5 save chances and they have tallied 3 saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten 14 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .986 (15th in MLB). The Rays have accrued 157 assists, 9 errors and are sitting with 479 putouts over the course of the season. In their 1,437 innings on the diamond, the Rays have earned a efficiency on defense of 71.7% (10th in professional baseball).

Thus far in his career, Rasmussen has given up 265 base hits while earning 316 strikeouts in 325 innings pitched. Rasmussen (21-12 career record) is the owner of a 2.85 ERA and has conceded 7.3 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 103 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.073 and having a FIP of 2.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.76 and he has faced 1,309 hitters in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (+125)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here