Rays Vs. Yankees: New York Starting Lineup

We've given you the Rays' starting lineup, and now it's time to see what Joe Girardi will put up against it. Hint: a really really good starting lineup.

Derek Jeter, SS
Curtis Granderson, CF
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Robinson Cano, DH
Nick Swisher, RF
Andruw Jones, LF
Jesus Montero, C
Eduardo Nunez, 2B
Brandon Laird, 3B

This lineup originally included Alex Rodriguez playing third in place of Laird, but Rodriguez was a late scratch due to issues with his knee. Girardi wasn't intending to go with a scrub, but he's been given no choice.

Jones is playing left instead of Brett Gardner because the Yankees are going up against the left-handed and very tough David Price. Jones can't compete with Gardner's defense, but he does have a .937 OPS against southpaws on the year, so it's not like he represents a huge downgrade.

Montero will be making just his third start behind the plate since being promoted. Both Russell Martin and Jorge Posada, obviously, are on the bench. Again, though, Montero brings an awful lot to the table, so it's not like his presence makes the Yankees an easier foe.

What remains to be seen is how long most of these players stay in the game. Girardi won't want to pull them all immediately, but then he's also going to be weighing competitiveness against injury risk, and it's not like he really has a dog in the Rays/Red Sox race. Not to such a degree as to influence his decision-making.

The Yankees will start Dellin Betances on the mound, and follow him with a bunch of relievers. Betances has appeared in one major league game - against the Rays, as it happens - and he threw seven strikes out of 27 pitches. This could be a long game.