New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays (2026-07-08). Gerrit Cole vs Shane McClanahan at Tropicana Field.

Cole enters with a 4.01 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 42.2 innings, 8.65 K/9 and 2.11 BB/9 through eight starts, while McClanahan has been the steadier full-season arm at 3.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 79.2 innings, 8.70 K/9 and 3.16 BB/9 over 16 starts. Cole’s recent line has been mixed rather than dominant, allowing 11 earned runs across his last three outings and giving up six homers in that span, even though his trend marker still points down and his blow-up rate is listed at zero. McClanahan’s recent form looks cleaner on the surface, with two earned runs or fewer in five of his last seven starts, including six scoreless innings against Kansas City last time out, and he has also avoided true disaster starts all year.

Offensively, the Yankees bring the slightly better overall production profile with a .735 OPS, 436 runs and 132 home runs, but that comes with a lower .234 average and much more swing-and-miss than Tampa Bay. The Rays sit at a .730 OPS with 403 runs, yet their .257 average, .334 OBP and lower strikeout total suggest a more contact-oriented attack that can pressure starters differently. On the mound at team level, New York has the edge in run prevention with a 3.40 ERA and 1.19 WHIP versus Tampa Bay’s 3.76 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, while the Rays have been better at closing games with 36 saves. Recent form leans Tampa Bay, which has won six of its last eight, while New York has dropped eight of its last ten.

The recent head-to-head sample from 2025 favored New York, which won eight of the last 13 meetings, including five straight at one point, but those games were not consistently low scoring. There were several totals well above this number, yet the current 7.5 line reflects more respect for the starting matchup and the indoor setting than for the broader historical series results. With Cole carrying some recent home run volatility and McClanahan generally limiting damage, the total sits in a range where efficiency from either starter becomes especially important.