The Tampa Bay Rays are hoping a tough April schedule will leave them battle-tested and prepared for the rest of the regular season.

They’ll find out soon enough as the Rays host the New York Yankees in their season opener on Friday afternoon. Of their first 22 games, 16 come against legitimate playoffs contenders before things ease up in May.

The Yankees, relatively quiet this past off-season, know the feeling. They also front-loaded their schedule with 15 playoff contenders through April. Continue reading →