#Rays’ Blake Snell: ‘It feels a lot better’ when we beat the Yankees

The Yankees are set to make their lone trip to Tropicana Field during this truncated season for a four-game series that starts Friday. And according to Blake Snell, the Rays are ready for the first-place Yankees.

“When we beat the Yankees, we party definitely harder after the game celebrating a good win,’’ the 27-year-old left-hander said, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

With the Red Sox having punted on the season after trading Mookie Betts, the Orioles lacking talent and the Blue Jays without a home, the Yankees and Rays figure to be in a battle for AL East supremacy, though Tampa Bay has gotten off to a slow start in 2020.

“It’s tough to beat the Yankees,’’ Snell said. “They’re talented. They’re very good. It’s an extremely hard team to beat. With our talent, when we do that, I would definitely say it feels a lot better because we know they have the money to get the best guys in the world.’’

Even in this 60-game season, the Yankees are set to have an MLB-high team payroll of $109 million, according to Spotrac, while the Rays are set to come in at $28 million- ahead of only Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Yet the Rays were once again considered postseason contenders- even before MLB expanded the playoffs for this season from 10 to 16 teams.

“It’s in our DNA to be the David to take on the Goliaths,” Rays president Matt Silverman told The Post’s Ken Davidoff last month, “I’m not sure how well David would have fared taking on two Goliaths, but that’s our lot in life, and we have embraced that challenge. It makes it even more rewarding when we’ve reached the playoffs.”

Snell has clearly taken that message to heart.

“Facing the Yankees, I’m way more locked in,’’ said Snell, who is 2-1 with a 2.08 in five starts at Tropicana Field against the Yankees, but just 3-6 with a 4.41 ERA in 16 starts overall versus his nemesis.

“I’m way more focused because it’s such a talented team,’’ Snell said. “I face them all the time. There’s no better feeling than beating the Yankees. Just strictly because of how good they are. Their fans love to talk. And when you beat them, it’s just, yeah, you know you did something good.’’