Rays at Yankees
The Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees are fighting for first place in the American League East, with the defending champion Boston Red Sox lurking in the rear view mirror. The Rays own the best pitching staff of the bunch - and the best in the majors - but the Yankees, who host the Rays in the opener of a three-game showdown on Monday, are putting together the best offense.
New York will get slugger Giancarlo Stanton (shoulder) back in the lineup on Tuesday and Aaron Judge (oblique) is not far behind, but the Yankees will introduce their latest big bat on Monday as Edwin Encarnacion makes his team debut. Encarnacion, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in a deal over the weekend, leads the AL with 21 home runs and is expected to serve as New York's primary designated hitter while Luke Voit continues to handle first base and Judge and Stanton man the corner outfield spots. The Rays, who sit a half-game behind in the East, picked up a win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday but come in slumping with a 2-4 record in the last six games. Tampa Bay will try to shut down the Yankees and their new slugger with right-hander Yonny Chirinos while dealing with New York righty Masahiro Tanaka.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Yonny Chirinos (7-2, 2.88 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (4-5, 3.58)
Chirinos is becoming one of Tampa Bay's most reliable pitchers and looking for his third consecutive quality start after allowing a total of two runs and nine hits in 14 innings over his last two turns. The 25-year-old occasionally comes in behind an opener but got the start in each of his last four outings. Chirinos came on after an opener twice against New York last month and allowed a total of two runs and eight hits in 8 2/3 innings while going 1-0.
Tanaka is trying to work himself out of a rough patch after going 1-2 with a 5.79 ERA in his last three starts. The Japan native went 6 2/3 innings and earned a win against the New York Mets on Tuesday while striking out seven but was charged with five runs - four earned - on seven hits. Tanaka had little trouble in two starts against Tampa Bay last month, allowing a total of one run and eight hits while striking out 13 without a walk in 13 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees 3B DJ LeMahieu recorded multiple hits in seven of the last 11 games.
2. Rays LF Tommy Pham reached base safely in 13 of his last 23 plate appearances.
3. Tampa Bay OF Austin Meadows is 2-for-25 over his last seven games.