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NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 2026 in New York, New York.
(Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images I hate playing the Rays at the best of times, and doubly so when we have to watch games at the Trop.
That this series, a four-game set with Tampa enjoying a four-game lead in the AL East, is of outsized importance for the Yankees playoff trajectory and is also coming at a time the Yankees are playing so terribly, makes me pretty grumpy before a pitch has even been thrown.
If nothing else, at least its Cam Bump Day.
Cam Schlittler is still the leading candidate for AL Cy Young, notwithstanding that bizarre start last week against the Tigers, where he gave up four home runs and six men crossed the plate against him overall.
That outing raised his ERA half a run, but even in that game he still struck out five against a single walk.
Cam hadnt allowed an earned run in his previous two starts, a combined 22 strikeouts to two walks in those efforts.
True to annoying form, the Rays experienced some degree of success in the one time they saw Schlittler this year.
Back on April 12, Cam went just five innings allowing a trio of runs, but an 8:1 K:BB ratio was promising.
Griffin Jax goes for the Rays, a perfect example of the five-game fughazi franchise and why it drives me nuts.
His 3.45 ERA is solid enough, with a FIP more than a run higher and an xERA, which takes into account contact quality allowed, is two runs higher! Griffin Jax should not be preventing runs as effectively as he has, and the Louisville Slugger of irony has clapped me over the head.
The lineup at least is starting to look a little more normal.
The top four are all bona fide MLB hitters, even if I need both Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger to get out of their slumps immediately.
Jose Caballero sets up at shortstop with Anthony Volpe on the bench, and Austin Wells bats ninth and is behind the dish.
Win the game, please.
How to watch Location : Tropicana Field Tampa, FL First pitch : 6:40 pm ET TV broadcast : YES | Rays.tv Radio broadcast : WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, WDAE 95.7 FM, WQBN/1300AM Online stream : MLB.tv, Gotham Sports App For updates, follow us on BlueSky , Twitter , and Instagram , and like us on Facebook.
Tropicana Field #RepBX pic.twitter.com/vSHiXn1DT8 New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 6, 2026 New week, New York : https://t.co/QIZAuG9SjE : 95.7 WDAE pic.twitter.com/jfFUUQYgiw Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 6, 2026 Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system!.