Which team prevails in the ALDS: the Tampa Bay Rays or the New York Yankees?
Petco Park will host the five-game series. Petco is a known pitcher’s park that is deep in the gaps, though there is opportunity for bullet home runs down the left and right field lines.
If there is a team that benefits from the playing field, I’d say it’s the New YOrk Yankees. The Yanks have power to all fields and are the superior slugging bunch. Also, Yankees pitchers may pitch more freely being away from the tight quarters of their home ballpark.
The Rays are unlikely to match a healthy Yankees offense in quick-hit round-trippers, which means they will have to come through with runners on base. That’s often a tall task in the postseason when pitching is peaked and base runners are scarce.
The Yankees must find some success against Rays’ starting pitchers. If they allow Tampa starters stress-free opening innings, there’s a strong chance that the starters keep cruising.
We witnessed what the Yankees did to the only American League pitching staff that statistically ranks ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays – that being the Cleveland Indians.
I predict the Yankees win the ALDS in five games. While I’m rooting for the underdog Tampa Bay Rays – and yes, they are the underdog – I believe the Yankees offense will perform well enough to take the series. They have more candidates to come up with “the big hit” than the Rays do.