The Rays roll into a three-game weekend series against the Yankees with a half-game lead in the AL East.
When they met last weekend at the Trop, the Rays went in with a 1 1/2 game lead but lost two of three. Both teams played two games since and won them both.
The Rays are using Ryne Stanek as the opener tonight, his 12th such turn and the 13th opener this season overall. Yonny Chirinos is expected to follow and work the bulk of the innings. The Yankees are starting veteran lefty CC Sabathia, who pitched good but not great last Saturday at the Trop.