The New York Yankees will go from playing the best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays, to the worst when they open a 3-game set with the Oakland Athletics tonight at the Stadium. New York is one game above .500, at 18-17, and 11-8 in the Bronx. The Athletics have just 8 wins with 27 losses and are 5-12 on the road. Southpaw Nasty Nestor Cortes, Jr. is the expected starter for the Yanks. He is 3-2 with a 4.91 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and will look to bounce back after getting lit up in his last turn by the Texas Rangers. The ex-Yankee, lefty JP Sears, is expected to go for Oakland. He is winless at 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. New York is 4-0 in Cortes’ last 4 home starts against a team with a losing record and 5-0 against Oakland in their last 5 meetings in the Bronx. If New York can’t take care of business against Oakland at home, changes need to be made.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES