MLB Opening Day: Rays Host Yankees in 2017 Opener

Archer and Tanaka Opening Day Starters

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays will meen on MLB Opening Day at Tropicana Field. The division rivals will kick off the 2017 MLB Season at 1 pm on ESPN. The Tradition of the Cincinnati Reds always opening MLB each season with it's first game is missed by many purists and are a reminder of the destruction that Bud Selig did to "America's Favorite Pastime."

The Yankees will give the ball to starter Masahiro Tanaka in this one. Right hander Tanaka is 0-0 this season with a 0.00 ERA. Tanaka went 14-4 with a 3.07 ERA last season. He dominated the Rays by going 4-0 with a 2.88 ERA. That was twice as many wins as against any other opponent. He's 6-0 in eight career starts against Tampa Bay.

It'll be Chris Archer toeing the rubber for the Rays in this contest. Right hander Archer is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA so far this season. Archer has pitched twice on Opening Day. He lost in each of the last two seasons. That familiarity will help him as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2016 season.

Oddsmakers opened the Yankees as -116-moneyline favorites versus the Rays, while the game's total opened at 6.5.

Tampa Bay was a 6-4 winner to end the 2016 MLB season against the Rangers. They won as +139 underdogs, while the total score of 10 made winners of PUSH bettors.

New York was a 5-2 loser on the road against the Orioles to end last season. Bettors on Baltimore at -142 on the moneyline collected their winnings from that game. The total score (7) sent UNDER bettors home happy as well.

MLB Opening Day Betting Trends

New York Yankees
NY Yankees is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
NY Yankees is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
NY Yankees is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
NY Yankees is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 5 games on the road
NY Yankees is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
NY Yankees is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 9 of NY Yankees's last 12 games when playing Tampa Bay
NY Yankees is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
NY Yankees is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
Tampa Bay is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Tampa Bay's last 12 games at home
Tampa Bay is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
Tampa Bay is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Tampa Bay's last 12 games when playing NY Yankees
Tampa Bay is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
Tampa Bay is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

New York:
Team record: 84-78 SU
NY Yankees is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
NY Yankees is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
NY Yankees is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games on the road

Tampa Bay:
Team record: 68-94 SU
Tampa Bay is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
Tampa Bay is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Tampa Bay's last 12 games at home

Next up:
New York at Tampa Bay Tuesday, April 4

Get all your MLB Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook.