MLB matchup analysis

Yankees vs Rays Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Monday, October 5, 2026 at Tropicana Field · 8:00 PM ET

Official Pick

Leo prediction: New York Yankees moneyline

Lab Rating
8.1/10
Model lean
Yankees 72.1%
Market probability
53.2%
Model edge
+18.8%
Best moneyline
-117
Sportsbooks checked
9
Leo model
72.1%
Market
53.2%

The case for New York Yankees

Starting pitcher edge: 24 points
Leo gives Cam Schlittler a 24-point edge over Freddy Peralta, driven mainly by K-BB% (25.0% vs 12.7%) and ERA (1.95 vs 4.42).

The case for Tampa Bay Rays

The case is thin
The model finds little going Tampa Bay Rays's way — it trails on the pitching plan, bullpen, and recent form. The main path to a Tampa Bay Rays win is variance.

What to watch

Cold stretch at the plate
New York Yankees is -0.009 wOBA below its own season form.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 8.54/10
Leo's win probability for New York Yankees (72.1%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 40/40
Cam Schlittler rates 84 on Leo's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Offense: 32.23/50
New York Yankees's recent offensive form clearly outpaces Tampa Bay Rays's over the tracked windows.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 58.1%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's team-strength model alone makes New York Yankees 58.1% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 24 points
The pitcher-score gap favors New York Yankees by 24 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: +0.009
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward New York Yankees. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 58.1% -> 72.1%
Team strength alone had New York Yankees at 58.1%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 72.1% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict Leo backs New York Yankees at -117. 72.1% to win against a market implying 53.2% - the model sees value and the setup clears every gate.
Read the full model output

New York Yankees is an official moneyline pick because it clears both gates: 72.1% model win probability and 8.1/10 Lab Rating. Leo projects 72.1% against a 53.2% no-vig market number, a 18.8% model edge at -117. New York Yankees owns the starting pitcher edge by 24 points. Bullpen read: Neutral. New York Yankees's pen efficiency: Dominant (8.0/10). Lineup check: New York Yankees is a touch below its season form (-0.020 OPS); Tampa Bay Rays is in a cold stretch (-0.087 OPS). Recent form supports this side and is included in the unified run projection.

Final result

Yankees 2, Rays 5

How the analysis held up

Tampa Bay Rays won. Leo's model favored the other side.

Cam Schlittler (New York Yankees) was Leo's favored starter by pitcher score, but Freddy Peralta actually pitched better tonight: 4.2 IP, 1 ER (1.93 ERA) against 4.1 IP, 2 ER (4.15 ERA). The edge did not show up in this game.

The New York Yankees bullpen was not flagged pregame, but it had a night worth noting: 0 earned runs allowed over 3.2 relief innings (0.00 ERA) — quietly better than the pregame read implied. Note: 3 of the runs charged to the New York Yankees pitching staff overall were unearned — not something the bullpen's stuff should be blamed for.

The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen was not flagged pregame, but it had a night worth noting: 1 earned run allowed over 4.1 relief innings (2.08 ERA) — quietly better than the pregame read implied.

New York Yankees scored 2, 3.4 fewer than the 5.4 pregame projection.

Tampa Bay Rays scored 5, 2.1 more than the 2.9 pregame projection.

Likely driver: the opposing starter (1.93 ERA) was sharp when the read expected an edge the other way, and New York Yankees's offense scored 3.4 fewer runs than projected.

Game information

MatchupNew York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays
DateMonday, October 5, 2026
First pitch8:00 PM ET
VenueTropicana Field
Starting pitchersCam Schlittler vs Freddy Peralta
WeatherGame-time forecast: 82°F, 19% precipitation chance, 3 mph wind from N.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Cam SchlittlerYankees · RHP
vs
Freddy PeraltaRays · RHP
MetricYankeesRays
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings65⅓
ThrowsRR
Leo pitcher score (higher is better)8460
ERA (lower is better)1.954.42
WHIP (lower is better)0.921.33
K/9 (higher is better)11.18.3
K-BB% (higher is better)25.0%12.7%
K% (higher is better)31.4%21.4%
BB% (lower is better)6.4%8.6%
BB/9 (lower is better)2.33.4
HR/9 (lower is better)0.71.2
Ground-ball rate47.6%44.7%
Fly-ball rate52.4%55.3%

Pitcher edge: Leo gives Cam Schlittler a 24-point edge over Freddy Peralta, driven mainly by K-BB% (25.0% vs 12.7%) and ERA (1.95 vs 4.42).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Cam Schlittler strikeouts
5.7 Leo projected Ks
Qualifying projection: UNDER 6.5K · -0.8K difference
Market 6.5K · O -138 / U +115 · 6 books
Freddy Peralta strikeouts
5.5 Leo projected Ks
No K play · -0.0K difference is below Leo's 0.7K threshold
Market 5.5K · O +128 / U -152 · 6 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Both sides arrive in similar form. Yankees are 5-5 in their last 10 and averaging 4.3 runs per game over the last 15 days; Rays are 5-5 in their last 10 and averaging 4.3 runs per game over the last 15 days. Season run differential separates them by almost nothing (+0.86 against +0.53).

MetricYankeesRays
Last 105-55-5
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)4-6 on the road9-1 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.7000.641
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3080.285
Runs per game, last 15 days4.34.3
K% last 15 days (lower is better)29.3%22.6%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysYankeesRays
OPS0.730 (+0.010 vs szn)0.703 (-0.025 vs szn)
Runs per game5.05 (+0.460 vs szn)4.81 (+0.266 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.3220.310 (-0.011 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)23.7% (-1.0% vs szn)20.7% (+1.9% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Yankees have been the better offense, 0.322 wOBA to 0.310.

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricYankeesRays
Record93-6898-64
Run differential / game (team quality)+0.86+0.53
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.594.54
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)3.734.01
Season OPS0.7200.728
K% season (lower is better)24.7%18.8%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7140.752

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Yankees
Combined risk
3.2 Fresh
Fatigue
4.7 Normal
Efficiency
8.0 Dominant
Rays
Combined risk
3.5 Normal
Fatigue
4.3 Normal
Efficiency
6.6 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricYankeesRays
Fatigue4.7/10, Normal4.3/10, Normal
Efficiency8.0/10, Dominant6.6/10, Effective
Combined risk3.2/10, Fresh3.5/10, Normal
Relief innings, last 7 days8.71.0
Back-to-back arms56
7-day ERA1.040.00
7-day WHIP0.580.00

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
Leo projection
8.8
Market total
6.5
Projected away runs
5.4
Projected home runs
2.9
Over price
-112
Under price
+100
New York Yankees team total
5.4 projected
Line 3.5 · O +104 / U -125
Over research lean (+1.9)
Tampa Bay Rays team total
2.9 projected
Line 2.5 · O -140 / U +118
No team-total lean

The model projects 2.3 runs above the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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