New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Nestor Cortes vs. Shane McClanahan

In so many ways, this is the most important game of this series. The Yankees have split this four game set 1-1, desperately need at least a split, and have Nestor Cortes on the hill. Although the funky lefty hasn’t quite been what the Yankees wanted so far this year, we know how good he can be when he’s on and how much he can help the club in terms of playoff standing.

For Nestor, the big problem has been a major spike in fly ball rate, in fact the highest such rate in baseball, a bad sign when the baseball seems wound a little too tight and the Rays lead the world in home run rate. Balls have crept into the middle of the zone, perfect for elevating, and Cortes needs to find a way to stay on the edges lest the game’s best power team take their daddy hacks.

On the other side, the Yankees are facing one of the AL’s absolute best. Shane McClanahan is one of the top five in the game in ERA, and although he does walk too many, he’s shown an incredible ability to limit damage despite the free passes. His fastball and changeup are his most effective pitches; for the Yankees feasting on the other offerings may be the key to crushing the lefty.

How to watch:

Location: Yankee Stadium — Bronx, NY

First pitch: 1:05 pm EDT

TV Broadcast: YES Network, Bally Sports Sun

Radio Broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280

Online Stream: MLB.tv

For updates, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.