For the final time in 2025 (and maybe ever), the Yankees head on the road to play at their own spring training complex in the middle of summer, as the Yankees visit George M. Steinbrenner Field tonight to begin a two-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays. A satisfying sweep in St. Louis has calmed the waters in the Bronx, as the Yankees have won five of six and six of eight for the first time since May, but there’s more work to do. They enter tonight in a three-way tie for the top Wild Card, but can’t
afford to look ahead to the critically important four-game set this weekend against the Red Sox. The Rays are far from dead and buried and are always motivated in divisional play.
Carlos Rodón is on the mound as he looks to build on an impressive start against the Twins last week, where he was the first Yankee to complete seven innings in a game since he did it himself against the Cubs on July 11th. What made it more impressive was the fact that he threw 31 pitches in a first inning that saw himself get out of a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam relatively unscathed. He enters tonight with a 3.25 ERA (126 ERA+) and 3.85 FIP in 25 starts with a .186 BAA and 164 strikeouts in 146.2 innings. Rodón will look to match his earlier start at GMS Field, when he tossed six shutout innings on April 18th with nine strikeouts.
Former top prospect Shane Baz will take the ball for the Rays in the midst of a rocky 2025, as he enters with a 4.93 ERA and 4.33 FIP in a career-high 135 innings. The last remaining piece from the infamous Chris Archer trade (which at least lives on through the Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows branches), Baz has been a workhorse for the Rays at times, completing six innings 11 times and seven innings on five different occasions, but has rarely been dominant. He hasn’t been able to string together many good starts and he’ll be facing the team that chased him after just 3.1 rough innings on April 19th in the infamous 8-4 comeback by Tampa off of Devin Williams.
Baz has been average in many regards in terms of his peripherals, notably excluding his high ground-ball rate and substandard barrel rate. He’s gotten decently unlucky in terms of quality of contact given up, but the Yankees should be able to feast on his propensity to give up barrels in a minor league park on a humid night in Florida. Baz’s four-seamer has been getting hit hard, but he’s been using his knuckle curve a lot more as a way to keep the ball on the ground. He also mixes in a cutter, a changeup to lefties, and a slider to righties.
Trent Grisham will lead off once again in front of a still-DHing Aaron Judge. Giancarlo Stanton makes his first start since Wednesday in right field after a bout of soreness and will clean up, Ben Rice will catch with Paul Goldschmidt at first base, and José Caballero, who’s been a delightful pest in pinstripes, will start at third base over Ryan McMahon. It’ll be his first start against the Rays since being dealt midgame to New York at the Trade Deadline. Baz is a reverse splits pitcher, hence why they’re electing to go with Goldschmidt and Caballero in there.
Note that Amed Rosario has been activated from the IL and is available off the bench, and also that we are seemingly going to begin tonight in a rain delay. Ah, open-air Florida stadiums in summer.
How to Watch:
Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field – Tampa, FL
First Pitch: 7:35 p.m. EDT [delayed]
TV broadcast: YES | FanDuel Sports Network Sun
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM, WQBN/1300AM (TB)
Online stream: MLB.tv (out-of-market only), Gotham Sports App
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Update
Rain is on the radar after showers earlier today, so this one won’t be starting on time.
