Gameday Preview (Tuesday): Rays Have Reached 'Must-Win Territory' vs. Yankees

Time is running out on the Tampa Bay Rays' chase for a wild-card spot, so their two-game series with the New York Yankees is critical. Here are the batting orders for both teams, plus pitching matchups and newsy nuggets.

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (2) and third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrate after a win. | Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

TAMPA, Fla. — It's the landlords vs. the tenants again at Steinbrenner Field on Tuesday, when the Tampa Bay Rays take on the New York Yankees as we head down the home stretch.

The Rays return home after a 12-game road trip, where they went 6-6 and won three series, but they lost ground in the American League wild-card race. They are 6.5 games back with 37 games to go, chasing the Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners, who are all in a virtual tie for the three wild-card spots.

The Rays are 4-7 against the Yankees this season, 1-3 and home and 3-4 on the road. They'll look for a big start from Shane Baz on Tuesday night. He is 8-9 on the year with a 4.93 ERA. He'll oppose Carlos Rodon, who is 12-7 with a 3.25 ERA>

Here's how to watch the game:

How to watch Rays-Giants

• Who: New York Yankees (67-57) vs Tampa Bay Rays (61-64)
• When: Monday, Aug. 19 at 7:35 p.m. ET
• Where: Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla.
• TV: FanDuel Sports Sun
• Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM/620 AM, WQBN 106.7/1300 AM (Spanish)
• Betting information: The Yankees are favored on the money line at minus-130, and the Rays are at plus-110. On the run line, you can bet the Yankees minus-1.5 at plus-130 odds, and the Rays at plus-1.5 at minus-165 odds. The over/under is 8.5 runs.

Here are the starting lineups for both teams.

Rays batting order

1. Chandler Simpson LF
2. Yandy Diaz 1B
3. Junior Caminero 3B
4. Brandon Lowe 2B
5. Ha-Seong Kim SS
6. Christopher Morel DH
7. Everson Pereira CF
8. Jake Mangum RF
9. Nick Fortes C

Yankees batting order

1. Trent Grisham CF
2. Aaron Judge DH
3. Cody Bellinger LF
4. Giancarlo Stanton RF
5. Ben Rice C
6. Paul Goldschmidt 1B
7. Jazz Chisholm 2B
8. Anthony Volpe SS
9. Jose Caballero 3B

Rays-Yankees newsy nuggets

• RAYS BULLPEN SPARKLES: Over the Rays' last 20 games since July 27, the bullpen has an American League-best 2.48 earned run average, second in MLB behind the San Diego Padres (2.41). The bullpen leads the majors over that span in WHIP (0.88), opponents' on-base pct. (.249), strikeout rate (31.8%), SO/BB ratio (5.29) and FIP (2.61). ...Rays relievers have stranded 15 of their last 16 inherited runners. ...Pete Fairbanks' 85 career saves are tied with Fernando Rodney for third-most in Rays history. He has six saves in his last nine outings, posting a 0.96 ERA (9.1IP, 1ER), 0.64 WHIP and .188 (6-for-32) opponents' average. ...Garrett Cleavinger has a 10.2 scoreless inning streak. ...Edwin Uceta is 4-0 with a 0.50 ERA in his last 13 appearances.

• JUNIOR SPARKLES: With his next home run, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero will tie Seattle's Alex Rodriguez (36 home runs in 1996) for the most homers in an age-21-or-younger season in AL history and tie for seventh-most in MLB history (age as of June 30). He will also tie Evan Longoria (2016) for the fifth- most long balls in a season by any player in franchise history