Yankees at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays try to keep the momentum of a big Opening Day victory over New York going when they host the Yankees on Tuesday in the middle contest of a three-game series. Tampa Bay delighted a sellout crowd of 31,042 with a combination of pitching, speed and power to defeat New York 7-3 on Sunday as it tries to erase the memory of a 66-win campaign in 2016 and serve notice that it can become a surprise contender in the American League East.
"It feels good, but it is one game," the Rays' Logan Morrison told reporters after going 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two-RBI single. "We've got 161 more. If every game was like this, then I think I'd be a Hall of Famer and a really rich man." New York's loss Sunday was a franchise-record sixth straight on Opening Day as it begins what appears to be a rare rebuilding season in the Bronx, but Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters: “We’re in transition, but we’re not waving the white flag while transitioning.” New York's CC Sabathia - the active leader in complete games (38), quality starts (290) and strikeouts (2,726) - comes off his third straight losing season and opposes Jake Odorizzi, who was 7-1 with a 2.71 ERA after the All-Star break in 2016. Evan Longoria, who belted his fourth Opening Day home run Sunday, is batting .403 with seven home runs, 16 RBIs, 13 walks and nine doubles in 72 at-bats versus Sabathia while Kevin Kiermaier is 4-for-5 with two solo homers.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2016: 9-12, 3.91 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (2016: 10-6, 3.69)
Sabathia, who begins his 17th season, posted a 6.75 ERA in 12 spring training innings, allowing 20 hits and four walks while striking out nine. The 36-year-old Californian is coming off surgery on his right knee, but told reporters he didn't need it to be drained and added: “I didn’t miss anything, and I’m ready to go.” Sabathia is 14-14 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 41 starts versus Tampa Bay - 1-0, 5.52, 1.77 in 14 2/3 innings over three turns last season.
Odorizzi, the only Rays starter with a winning record in 2016, is part of a rotation capable of keeping the club in the AL East race if it maximizes its potential. The 27-year-old Illinois native went 2-1 with a 2.29 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in three starts against New York last season, improving his career numbers to 5-5, 4.26 and 1.08 in 12 games (11 starts) versus the Yankees. Odorizzi posted a 4.91 ERA, allowing 13 hits and striking out 11 in 11 spring training innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York's lineup Sunday featured four 24-year-olds in 1B Greg Bird, OF Aaron Judge, C Gary Sanchez and SS Ronald Torreyes, marking the third time in club history and first occurrence since 1932 that it had four players younger than 25 in its Opening Day lineup.
2. Tampa Bay DH Corey Dickerson went 1-for-5 in the leadoff spot Sunday and is expected to yield the top spot in the order Tuesday to RF Steven Souza Jr., who is likely to serve in that role against left-handed pitching.
3. Yankees DH Matt Holliday, 37, began his 14th major-league season and first with New York on Sunday by going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.