Cole expected to start for the Yankees against the Rays

Updated Jun. 3, 2021 3:20 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays (35-22, first in the AL East) vs. New York Yankees (31-25, third in the AL East)

New York; Thursday, 1:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Ryan Yarbrough (2-3, 4.26 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 47 strikeouts) Yankees: Gerrit Cole (6-2, 1.78 ERA, .84 WHIP, 97 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays travel to face the New York Yankees on Thursday.

The Yankees are 14-17 against AL East opponents. New York's team on-base percentage of .314 is fourth in the American League. Aaron Judge leads the lineup with an OBP of .385.

The Rays have gone 15-10 against division opponents. Tampa Bay has hit 69 home runs this season, ninth in the American League. Austin Meadows leads the club with 13, averaging one every 14.8 at-bats.

The Yankees won the last meeting 4-3. Jordan Montgomery earned his third victory and Gio Urshela went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs for New York. Shane McClanahan registered his first loss for Tampa Bay.

TOP PERFORMERS: Judge leads the Yankees with 20 extra base hits and is batting .285.

Meadows leads the Rays with 29 extra base hits and is batting .240.

LAST 10 GAMES: Yankees: 4-6, .218 batting average, 3.01 ERA, outscored by 12 runs

Rays: 7-3, .200 batting average, 2.79 ERA, outscored opponents by 18 runs

INJURIES: Yankees: Justin Wilson: (hamstring), Luis Severino: (elbow), Clarke Schmidt: (right elbow), Darren O'Day: (right rotator cuff), Corey Kluber: (shoulder), Zack Britton: (elbow), Ryan LaMarre: (hamstring), Aaron Hicks: (left wrist), Luke Voit: (oblique).

Rays: Chaz Roe: (shoulder), Cody Reed: (thumb), Colin Poche: (elbow), Oliver Drake: (forearm), Yonny Chirinos: (elbow), Jalen Beeks: (elbow), Chris Archer: (forearm), Nick Anderson: (elbow).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.