Morton expected to start as Rays host the Yankees
New York Yankees (57-30, first in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (51-39, second in the AL East)
St. Petersburg, Florida; Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Yankees: James Paxton (5-3, 4.10 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 84 strikeouts) Rays: Charlie Morton (9-2, 2.36 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 132 strikeouts)
LINE: Rays favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE:
The Rays are 18-17 against AL East opponents. Tampa Bay has slugged .423 this season. Mike Brosseau leads the club with a .727 slugging percentage, including five extra-base hits.
The Yankees are 29-8 against teams from the AL East. The New York offense has compiled a .266 batting average as a team this season, good for sixth in the American League. DJ LeMahieu leads the team with a mark of .336. The Rays won the last meeting 4-3. Colin Poche secured his second victory and Travis d'Arnaud went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs for Tampa Bay. Chad Green took his third loss for New York.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tommy Pham leads the Rays with 90 hits and has 38 RBIs. d'Arnaud is 8-for-26 with two home runs and four RBIs over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
LeMahieu leads the Yankees with 113 hits and has 63 RBIs. Aaron Hicks is 13-for-38 with four doubles, four home runs and 12 RBIs over the last 10 games for New York.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 6-4, .226 batting average, 3.79 ERA, outscored opponents by one run
Yankees: 8-2, .313 batting average, 5.30 ERA, outscored opponents by 21 runs
Rays Injuries: Tyler Glasnow: 60-day IL (forearm), Diego Castillo: 10-day IL (shoulder), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Jose Alvarado: day-to-day (oblique), Daniel Robertson: 10-day IL (knee), Brandon Lowe: 10-day IL (leg), Matt Duffy: 60-day IL (back), Ji-Man Choi: 10-day IL (ankle), Christian Arroyo: 10-day IL (forearm), Anthony Bemboom: 60-day IL (knee).
Yankees Injuries: Luis Severino: 60-day IL (shoulder), Jordan Montgomery: 60-day IL (elbow), Jonathan Loaisiga: 60-day IL (shoulder), Ben Heller: 60-day IL (elbow), Dellin Betances: 60-day IL (shoulder), Jake Barrett: 60-day IL (elbow), Giancarlo Stanton: 10-day IL (knee), Cameron Maybin: 10-day IL (calf), Jacoby Ellsbury: 60-day IL (hip), Luke Voit: 10-day IL (abdomen), Troy Tulowitzki: 60-day IL (calf), Greg Bird: 60-day IL (foot), Miguel Andujar: 60-day IL (labrum).
