Tampa Bay Rays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Odds, Prediction
-
Kevin Thompkins
Wednesday features two of the best teams in baseball in the third and final game of an early-week set as the Tampa Bay Rays (41-29) and Los Angeles Dodgers (47-27) link up for some afternoon baseball. The Rays have conceded the top spot in the AL East to the New York Yankees, but they’re still clearly one of the contenders in the American League.
As for the Dodgers, we know all about them. Back-to-back World Series titles and carrying the second-best overall record as well as the second-best home record in baseball as of this writing. They’re cruising through the season’s first two and a half months, and not much should stop them from being the prohibitive favourite to hoist a third-straight title. For this series, they’ve already won the two previous games with a 4-3 win on Monday and a 1-0 pitcher’s duel on Tuesday night, highlighted by a Shohei Ohtani home run in the sixth inning.
Wednesday’s tilt at Chavez Ravine should be a good one, so let’s break this matchup down and provide our best bet for the contest.
The Dodgers are -170 favourites to win on the MLB odds, with the total pegged at 7.5.
MLB Betting Odds and Trends
With the Rays scuffling a bit at the plate, it’s no surprise that in nine of Tampa Bay’s last 11 games, they’ve gone under the win total. On the flip side, the Dodgers’ game total has gone over in seven of their last 10. Against Tampa Bay specifically, they’ve been pitcher’s duels and games between these two teams have all gone under in each of the last six games. The game total is very clear in one direction and the likelihood of a blowout on either side is lower given the talent and pitching on both sides. But this is baseball and anything can happen.
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay has been on a bit of a downturn, with the Rays 9-13 in their last 22 games. Over that slide, they’ve lost control of the AL East to the Yankees. Still, the Rays are providing a ton of offence and pitching. Junior Caminero (15 HR, 32 RBI, .860 OPS) and Yandy Diaz (.313, 12 HR, 46 RBI, .892 OPS) have both been carrying this offence for most of the season. The Rays always seem to find a way to punch way higher than anybody gives them credit for, and while they’re on a little slide right now, there’s a lot of season left for Tampa to right the ship.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Even with some key players underperforming, the Dodgers have so much firepower on offence that it may not even matter. Not much to say about Wednesday’s starting pitcher, Shohei Ohtani (15 HR, 42 RBI) with the bat, but Andy Pages is breaking out before our eyes as he’s tied for second in baseball with 56 RBI. Mookie Betts (.201/7/18) and Kyle Tucker (.240/6/39) have been a bit disappointing compared to their hotter-hitting teammates, but both can turn it on at any time and provide yet another dangerous bat to this already-loaded lineup.
MLB Prediction: Who Will Win Rays vs. Dodgers?
Wednesday is a getaway day for both teams and they have their aces on the mound. For the Rays, they’ll send out lefty Shane McClanahan with his 6-4 record and 3.23 ERA through 13 starts. McClanahan’s June has been rocky to say the least, with eight earned runs and 16 hits allowed in nine innings across two starts.
The home Dodgers will trot out Shohei Ohtani, who is a cheat code. On the mound, he’s sporting a minuscule 1.06 ERA and a 6-2 record in 11 starts. Giving up three earned runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates in his start last Wednesday “ballooned” his ERA from 0.74 to 1.06.
With Ohtani on the mound at home, the Dodgers have to be the favorite in every matchup where he toes the rubber. We’ll take the Dodgers today to complete the sweep against Tampa Bay in the third and final game of this series.
Best Bet: Dodgers moneyline (-193)
