Could the 2025 Tampa Bay Rays somehow still be in the race? The team’s offense was lively again in a three-game win streak that ended on Tuesday, but still brought the Rays out of the doldrums. Now, every series-closing rubber match like this afternoon’s ballgame becomes a must-win scenario for Tampa.

Tampa Bay visits the Cleveland Guardians to decide a split series today at 1:10 p.m. EST, following a pair of disparate shutouts in the first two contests. The Rays soared to a 9-0 victory behind Junior Caminero’s pair of homers in one game to begin the meeting, but couldn’t get on the board in yesterday’s 3-0 defeat.

Las Vegas likes Tampa Bay – by a thin margin – to beat Cleveland today. It would keep the Rays at least seven games out of the Wild Card position, with a month left to try to catch a set of teams treading water.

Rays -1.5 (+131)Guardians +1.5 (-161)Over 7.5 (-114)Under 7.5 (-114)

*The above data was collected on Aug. 27, 2025, and may have changed since writing.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians Betting TrendsThe Tampa Bay Rays had a three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday.Cleveland snapped a six-game losing streak with its win in Tuesday’s game.Tampa Bay is 6-2 against Cleveland in the last eight matchups.Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians Injury ReportsAce pitcher Shane McClanahan remains on rehab duty with biceps tendinitis.First baseman Jonathan Aranda is on the 10-day IL with a fractured left wrist.Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is on the 10-day IL with lower back inflammation.Right fielder Stuart Fairchild is on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain.Outfielder Jonny DeLuca is on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain.Utility player Richie Palacios is on the 60-day IL with a right knee sprain.Relief pitcher Hunter Bigge is on the 60-day IL following facial surgery.Shortstop Taylor Walls is on the 10-day IL with a left groin strain.Right fielder Will Brennan is on the 60-day IL with right elbow ligament reconstruction.Center fielder Lane Thomas is on the 10-day IL with right foot plantar fasciitis.Relief pitcher Andrew Walters is on the 60-day IL with a right lat strain.Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians Predictions and Picks

Don’t discount Cleveland’s motivation to win and stay in the AL Wild Card race, not to mention the .500 mark. The problem in Cleveland is that the Guardians have picked an even later juncture of summer to suffer a downturn similar to what Tampa Bay went through earlier in the dog days. Cleveland will be gunning for its first series win in close to two weeks when the Rays and Guardians meet today.

Rays fans would argue that Tampa Bay should be a bigger favorite thanks to the pitching matchup, with visiting Drew Rasmussen bringing a 10-5 record into the rubber match against Slade Cicconi of the Guardians.

Sometimes, a winning pick is as simple as an overlooked pitching matchup. Predict that the Rays will claim a heartening road win, and pay off on the moneyline.