Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays 4/24

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays are set to finish off their three game set this afternoon in the Bronx. After a night game on Friday and a day game on Saturday many regulars were absent for that game yesterday afternoon. I fully expect more than a few regulars to be absent or on the bench for this one as well. One man that won't be absent, we hope, is the Yankees starter for the day Michael Pineda. Opposing Pineda, thankfully it's not Chris Archer, is Drew Smyly for the Rays, yet another left-hander.

Pineda, like yesterday's starter Masahiro Tanaka, is seemingly getting stronger with every start and will look to continue that trend this afternoon in the Bronx. In Pineda's last start he held the Oakland Athletics to two runs and seven hits in six plus innings of work striking out seven batters. Pineda will look to improve on his career 2-1 record and 2.70 ERA against the Rays in seven career starts. 

Smyly heads into this start against the Yankees fresh off a no-decision last time out against the Chicago White Sox. Smyly is a fastball type pitcher that sets up the rest of his repertroire with it giving the Yankees plenty of straight balls to hit. The Yankees are a fastball hitting team and it's a day game in New York so that may spell doom for Smyly today.

The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. The Yankees are hoping for a quick contest this afternoon as they have to make the trip west to Arlington to face off with the Texas Rangers tomorrow night. I just hope the team isn't looking ahead to that game or the long plane ride over and are 100% focused on this game because the team needs every single win that they can get right now.

Go Yankees!