Picks, predictions for Yankees vs. Rays on Friday, May 5

The Tampa Bay Rays (26-6) will open a three-game home set with the New York Yankees (17-15) on Friday, May 5 at 6:40 p.m. ET from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays swept the Pittsburgh Pirates this week, and the Yankees took two of three against the Cleveland Guardians. Rookie Jhony Brito (2-3, 5.56 ERA) will take the mound for New York, while the Rays will send out reliever-turned-starter Yonny Chirinos (1-0, 0.64).

Tampa Bay is a -190 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, making New York a +160 underdog with the over/under set at 8.5.

Yankees-Rays picks: Friday, May 5

Injury report

Yankees

Day to day: OF Harrison Bader (head), SP Nestor Cortes (illness), INF Oswald Peraza (ankle)

Out: OF Aaron Judge (hip), OF Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring), RP Jonathan Loaisiga (elbow), 3B Josh Donaldson (hamstring), SP Luis Severino (lat), RP Lou Trivino (elbow), SP Carlos Rodon (elbow), RP Tommy Kahnle (biceps), C Ben Rortvedt (shoulder), SP Frankie Montas (shoulder), RP Scott Effross (elbow), SP Luis Gil (elbow)

Rays

Day to day: SP Josh Fleming (foot)

Out: RP Pete Fairbanks (forearm), RP Jeffrey Springs (elbow), SP Tyler Glasnow (oblique), RP Shawn Armstrong (neck), SP Shane Baz (elbow), RP Andrew Kittredge (elbow)

Starting pitchers

Jhony Brito vs. Yonny Chirinos

Brito will make his seventh career start and has been a bit inconsistent in his rookie season. He had one blowup start when he failed to get out of the first inning and allowed seven runs against the Minnesota Twins last month., but in his last outing, Brito allowed two runs on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts over five innings in a loss to the Texas Rangers.

Chirinos will be making his fifth appearance this season, but this will be his first start of the year. Chirinos has allowed just one run over 14 innings of work this season. He gave up one run on three hits and zero walks with three strikeouts over 4.2 innings in last week’s win over the Chicago White Sox.

Over/Under pick

Brito has been okay through his first month in the Majors, aside from one start that’s killing his season-long numbers, and the Yankees have struggled offensively this season. New York will enter Friday ranked 28th in on-base percentage (.297), meaning there’s a good chance the total falls below the number.

Pick: Under 8.5

Moneyline pick

This is a bit of an offensive mismatch, and betting against the Rays is not the smartest decision these days as they continue to dominate without a reason to think that will end soon. Tampa Bay has the top OPS in all of baseball at .876 and should have enough success against a rookie pitcher to pick up another victory.

Pick: Rays