Yankees @ Rays Series Preview

Yankees - Rays

Tropicana Field
(3 games)

After a quick stop in Detroit the Yankees now head to Tampa for a three game series with the first-place Rays. I've typed that many times - "first-place Rays" - but I still can't believe it. The Yankees and Rays have played 12 times so far this season and the Yankees lead the season series seven games to five.

By far the biggest surprise in the sport this season, the Rays currently have the league's best record at 84-51. They are showing no signs of slowing down as they come off a month of August that saw them go 21 - 7 and build their lead in the division to five games over the Red Sox. They've also had their share of injuries (Crawford, Longoria, Percival, etc.) and even that hasn't slowed them down.

At this point the Yankees are just trying to hang around in the Wild Card race. Unlike the Rays and Red Sox who steamrolled through August, the Yankees stumbled through it and had their worst month of the season with a 13-15 record. They're currently 73-64 and remain seven games behind Boston (four behind Chicago and Minnesota) and as I've said many times, will need a minor miracle to catch them. The Yankees also trail the Rays by 12 in the division.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Today @ 7:10 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Mike Mussina, RHP (16-7, 3.41) vs. Matt Garza, RHP (11-7, 3.53)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 7:10 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Carl Pavano, RHP (2-0, 3.27) vs. Edwin Jackson, RHP (11-8, 3.81)

Game 3 - Thursday @ 7:10 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Darrell Rasner, RHP (5-9, 5.08) vs. Scott Kazmir, LHP (10-6, 3.13)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Alex Rodriguez: A-Rod is coming off his best game in two weeks and needs to turn it on during this final month of the season if the Yanks are going to make a run. Pretty much everyone is going to need to hit, but as A-Rod said, it's going to come down to the 3-4-5 hitters.

Although his career numbers against Tampa aren't too impressive (.267/.348/.517) A-Rod has done very well in the past two seasons against them. This year he's hitting. .344/.364/.531. with a homer and 3 RBI in 8 games.

A-Rod vs. Garza: 1-for-3, HR, RBI
A-Rod vs. Jackson: 5-for-15, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, .250/.368/.500
A-Rod vs. Kazmir: 2-for-20, 6 K .100/.250/.100

Rays - Carlos Pena: After starting off very slow this season (.200 in April and .236 in May) Pena has been much better since June began. In his last 28 days he's hitting .301/.468/.687 with 8 HR and 26 RBI, and for the season he's hitting .246/.367/.498 with 27 HR and 84 RBI.

Last season he owned the Yankees (.340/.464/.868), but this year has not had the same success against them, hitting just .217/.333/.370, with 2 HR and 4 RBI. In his career against the Yanks he's hit .231/.350/.468 with 11 HR and 26 RBI.

Pena vs. Mussina: 4-for-21, RBI, 7 K, .190/.320/.190
Pena vs. Pavano: NR
Pena vs. Rasner: NR

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Dan Giese will be activated today.
- Joba Chamberlain will be activated today and remain in the bullpen for the rest of the season.
- Chien-Ming Wang is out for the year with a mid-foot tearing of the Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon.
- Jonathan Albaladejo is out for the year with a stress fracture in his right elbow.
- Jorge Posada is out for the remainder of the season after having shoulder surgery.

Rays:
- B.J. Upton is day-to-day after being hit on his ankle by a pitch. He's expected to play today.
- Dioner Navarro is day-to-day with hamstring soreness.
- Troy Percival is on the 15-day DL with cartilage damage in his right knee.
- Carl Crawford is on the 15-day DL with a sublaxation of the right middle finger tendon.
- Evan Longoria is on the 15-day DL with a fractured right wrist. He could return to action sometime this week.
- Jae Kuk Ryu is on the 15 day DL after having right elbow surgery.
- Chad Orvella is on the 60-day DL after having right shoulder surgery and is out for season.