ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The New York Yankees will look to even their three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays by sending right-hander Masahiro Tanaka to the mound at Tropicana Field on Saturday afternoon.
Tanaka (5-2, 5.80 ERA) is coming off of his worst start of the season, giving up eight runs and four home runs to the Houston Astros in 1 2/3 innings last Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
The Rays (22-22) have usually been a welcome sight for Tanaka, who is 6-1 with a 3.79 ERA in nine career starts against them. However, Tampa Bay shelled Tanaka for seven runs in 2 2/3 innings in his only start against the team on Opening Day.