Rays vs. Yankees: Game 3 prediction, lineup, odds, injuries and picks - July 30, 2025

The Tampa Bay Rays visit the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Tampa Bay’s Zack Littell will face New York’s Will Warren in the series’ 10th meeting, with the Yankees holding a 5-4 advantage.

The Yankees (58-49, second in AL East) are sound at home (32-22) and thrive when they score five or more runs (37-13). Meanwhile, The Rays (54-54, fourth in AL East) are 25-10 when they do not allow home runs, but have recently struggled, posting a 3-7 record over their last 10 games.

Both team have been around, even on offense and the mound lately, which should setup a close finish.

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Starting pitchers

Zack Littell (RHP, Rays)

Zack Littell is 8-8 with a 3.72 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 85 Ks in 128.1 IP. In his last outing on Friday, he lost to the Reds, surrendering five runs on 10 hits over six innings. Littell also recorded two Ks and no walks.

Will Warren (RHP, Yankees)

Will Warren is 6-5 with an ERA of 4.82, a WHIP of 1.44 and 124 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. He pitched 5.2 innings versus the Phillies on Saturday and surrendered two runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. However, he did not factor into the decision.

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Hot hitters to watch

Jonathan Aranda (Rays)

Jonathan Aranda is having a strong 2025 campaign with a .315 average, 12 home runs, 52 RBIs and 53 runs scored. He hit a solo homer on Tuesday, continuing his hot streak.

Cody Bellinger (Yankees)

Cody Bellinger has a solid 2025 line with a .282 average, 20 home runs, 61 RBIs, 61 runs and nine stolen bases. He also homered on Tuesday, adding power to the Yankees’ lineup.

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Injury report

Tampa Bay Rays:

• Ha-Seong Kim (SS) - 10-day IL, back strain
• Brandon Lowe (2B) - 10-day IL, foot tendinitis, possible return today
• Stuart Fairchild (RF) - 10-day IL, oblique strain
• Bryan Baker (RP) - day-to-day, calf discomfort
• Several pitchers (Rodriguez, Faedo, McClanahan, Lavender) on 60-day IL, season-ending or long-term

New York Yankees:

• Aaron Judge (OF) - 10-day IL, elbow strain, out until early August
• Gerrit Cole (SP) - 60-day IL, Tommy John surgery, out for season
• Clarke Schmidt (SP), Fernando Cruz (RP), Ryan Yarbrough (LHP) - 15-day IL, oblique/forearm injuries
• Luis Gil (RHP) - 60-day IL, lat strain, possible early August return

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Current odds

• Run Line: Rays +1.5 (−176) | Yankees −1.5 (+144)
• Total: Over 9 (−107) | Under 9 (−114)
• Moneyline: Rays +118 | Yankees −143

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Best bets & prediction

Final score prediction: Yankees 6, Rays 4

Top picks:

1. Yankees Moneyline (−143) - Warren’s strikeout upside and Rays bullpen depth tilt this edge toward New York in a close game.
2. Over 9 Total Runs (−107) - Warren’s recent walk issues and the Rays’ inconsistent bullpen could lead to extra scoring opportunities on both sides.

Value Parlay: Yankees ML + Over 9 pairing the moneyline with a potential higher-scoring game environment.