Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 4/17

The New York Yankees travel down to Tampa St. Pete this evening to face off against another one of their American League East rivals in the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees have yet to win a series this season and they enter a stadium that has not been friendly to them in the past in Tropicana Field to face a red hot team that started the 2015 season well. That usually sounds like a recipe for disaster but the Yankees haven’t shown any quit this season so it should be another fun and entertaining series all weekend long. To start the series off the Yankees will send Adam Warren to the mound to face off with the Rays starter Nathan Karns. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

• Warren is making his second start of the young season tonight and fifth of his career after taking the loss in his season debut against the Boston Red Sox. Warren allowed just two runs, one earned, in 5.1 IP but the Yankees offense was completely shut down in the contest by Joe Kelly. Warren holds a career 0-1 record with a 3.06 ERA against the Rays with all 10 appearances coming out of the Yankees bullpen.

• Karns is also making his second start of the season after recording a quality start in his season debut against the Miami Marlins. Karns earned his first victory by holding the powerful Marlins lineup to just one earned run on two hits and two walks. Karns did go seven innings in the contest and struck out six batters for Tampa Bay in the victory. 

Let’s hope the bats come alive and the pitching can keep Evan Longoria and company down long enough to get two or three wins and get the heck out of here. I’ve never liked watching games inside Tropicana Field or watching the Yankees play there on TV, which might have a lot to do with the Rays dominance here, so the sooner the exit the better for New York. Go Yankees!!!