New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays is set for first pitch at 1:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9, with the Rays favored and returning a 1.56x payout if they win, via PrizePicks.
The Rays will try to take three of four games in this series with SP Drew Rasmussen (7-4, 2.78 ERA) on the mound. With SP Carlos Rodón (elbow) on the injured list, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said his team will deploy a bullpen game.
Below, we’ll break down our Yankees vs. Rays prediction and picks for Thursday’s MLB game, including game winner, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Yankees vs. Rays prediction and picks on PrizePicks now.
{{mlb_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Yankees vs. Rays Prediction, Winner Payout, Over/Under – Thursday, July 9
The Yankees lost 3-0 on Wednesday as their lineup continued to falter. Across their last 13 games, they've only averaged 2.8 runs, resulting in a 2-11 record in that span.
One of the main reasons why the Yankees are struggling to score is their inability to put balls in play. Their 24.3% strikeout rate is the third-highest mark in the majors, per FanGraphs. The Rays don’t have that same problem; their 18.9% K-rate is the lowest in baseball.
Yankees vs. Rays Winner Payout, Over/Under – Thursday, July 9
The Rays enter Thursday’s game as a home favorite against the Yankees, returning a 1.56x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Yankees vs. Rays game on PrizePicks Team Picks — where you can make real-money predictions on every MLB game!
- Spread: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (2.17x payout)
- Over/Under: 7.5 runs (1.81x payout Over)
- Game Winner Payout: Yankees 2.27x | Rays 1.56x
Make your Yankees vs. Rays prediction on spread or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states!
Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.
Yankees vs. Rays Prediction on Winner – 7/9/26
Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Yankees vs. Rays prediction on the winner for Thursday, July 9.
- The Yankees are struggling, but the Rays are also playing some of their finest baseball of the season. Over its last 14 games, Tampa Bay is 11-3.
- Although the Rays have a losing record on the road (21-23), they're a sparkling 33-13 at home.
- New York is batting .234 as a team, 26th in baseball. Over the last 30 days, they are hitting .214 with a .277 OBP.
- Rasmussen has dominated the Yankees this season, logging 13 shutout innings against them. In those outings, he's allowed a combined 6 hits and 1 walk.
- The veteran starting pitcher usually does a good job of limiting baserunners, recording a 1.04 WHIP for his career.
Lock in your Yankees vs. Rays prediction today on PrizePicks.
Yankees vs. Rays Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 7/9/26
Here are top Yankees vs. Rays picks to target on Thursday, July 9. Today's MLB picks for PrizePicks include 3B Junior Caminero and DH Yandy Diaz.
Stack your MLB Lineup on PrizePicks today and win real money if you’re right!
Rays 3B Junior Caminero vs. Yankees: 5 Hitter Fantasy Score
- Prior to the start of this series, the third baseman was one of the hottest hitters in baseball. Over 12 games, he was 17-for-47 (.362) with a .434 OBP, 11 home runs, 22 RBI, and 13 runs scored.
- Although his .341 wOBA and 118 wRC+ on the road aren’t bad whatsoever, Caminero has a sparkling .431 wOBA and 178 wRC+ at home.
- The Yankees could look to get multiple innings from RP Ryan Yarbrough, who is their long man in the bullpen and hasn’t pitched in five days. That may benefit Caminero, because he has a 178 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.
Add Junior Caminero to your PrizePicks MLB Lineup now!
{{mlb_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Rays DH Yandy Diaz vs. Yankees: 5.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
- Diaz torched the Yankees at the plate Wednesday, going 4-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
- The veteran slugger is batting .327, putting him on pace to hit at least .300 for the third time over his last four seasons.
- Diaz is an excellent contact hitter, posting a 13.8% strikeout rate in 2026 and a 14.8% K-rate for his career.
- Like Caminero, Diaz has hit well at home. He is batting .387 there with a .271 ISO and a .473 wOBA.
Add Yandy Diaz to your PrizePicks MLB Lineup now!
Make Yankees vs. Rays Picks on PrizePicks
The Rays aim to extend their lead atop the AL East when they conclude their four-game series against the Yankees on Thursday. With New York deploying a bullpen game, Caminero and Diaz are in a favorable position to continue to produce at home.
Don’t wait until the first pitch — make your Yankees vs. Rays picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
Stay locked in on Playbook for daily MLB predictions, picks, and news every day all the way through the 2026 MLB season.
Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state.Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results.Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.
