Who Has Edge When Yankees Face Shane McClanahan Again 5 Days Later?

For the second time in five days and the third time in three-plus weeks, Tampa Bay left-hander Shane McClanahan takes the mound against the New York Yankees on Monday night. The Yankees are familiar with him now, and he knows everything he needs to know about them as well. It's a great pitching matchup between McClanahan and Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One of the toughest things for a young starting pitcher to learn at the big-league level is maneuvering his way through a lineup the third or fourth time. 

It's not easy.

It takes creativity and a good game plan. It also helps if you have multiple pitches that you can throw in any count, and in any circumstance. Rays ace Shane McClanahan has reached that point, but in his start Monday night, some multipliers are built into his challenge as well.

McClanahan starts the 7:10 p.m. ET against the New York Yankees, the same team he faced last Wednesday in New York. If familiarity breeds contempt, what does it mean to face the same lineupM in back-to-back starts?

“I think it’s beneficial for both parties, to be honest with you,” McClanahan said on Sunday. “I learned a lot of information from a lot of their swings and approaches, and I’m sure they’ve learned the same from me. So I think it'll be like it has been the first couple of games this year, it’s going to be a good matchup.”

McClanahan took that loss last Wednesday, allowing four runs — but just one unearned run — in the middle game of Yankees' three-game sweep in the Bronx. McClanahan pitched well, striking out seven, but he was let down by his defense and another poor offensive night.

“Our pitching kept us in those ballgames,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I’d like to think that we can do better offensively (in the return series at Tropicana Field Monday through Wednesday). I was pleased with the way that we attacked a really potent lineup, and I don’t think (McClanahan) is any different than anybody else.

"I think if he goes out there and has his stuff, he’ll give us an opportunity (to win). I do feel that it’s generally in favor of the hitter a little bit more. So we have that same component on our side of we’re facing two of the same starters (Gerrit Cole on Monday, and Nestor Cortes on Tuesday) with them.''

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

This is actually the third time in 23 days that McClanahan has faced the Yankees. He beat them 4-2 on May 29 at the Trop to secure in split in their first series of the year. He pitched six innings that day and allowed just one earned run.

It's a great pitching matchup Monday, with McClanahan (7-3, 1.84 ERA) taking on New York ace Gerrit Cole (6-1, 3.33)

Here's how to watch Monday night's game, with TV information and starting lineups and more:

How to watch Yankees at Rays

• Who: New York Yankees (49-17) at Tampa Bay Rays (36-30) 
• When: 7:05 p.m. ET, Monday, June 20
• Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.
• TV: Bally Sports Sun
• Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
• Announcers: Dewayne Staats (play-by-play), Brian Anderson (color commentary) and Tricia Whitaker (reporter).
• Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM, SiriusXM Channel 177
• Announcers: Andy Freed and Dave Wills.
• Latest line: The Yankee are favored at minus-142 on the money line according to the Fanduel.com website opening line as of Monday afternoon. The Rays are plus-120. The over/under is 6.5.

Projected lineups

• Yankees lineup: DJ LeMahieu 3B, Aaron Judge CF, Anthony Rizzo 1B, Giancarlo Stanton RF, Gleyber Torres 2B, Josh Donaldson DH, Aaron Hicks LF, Jose Trevino C, Marwin Gonzalez SS, Gerrit Cole P. 
• Rays lineup: Kevin Kiermaier CF, Manuel Margot RF, Yandy Diaz 3B, Ji-Man Choi DH, Randy Arozarena LF, Harold Ramirez 1B, Taylor Walls SS, Isaac Paredes 3B, Francisco Mejia C, Shane McClanahan P.