The Cleveland Guardians (69-69) visit the Tampa Bay Rays (70-69) in the opener of a 4-game set Thursday. First pitch from George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa is set for 7:35 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s MLB odds around the Guardians vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Guardians lead 2-1
The Guardians salvaged a game against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday, taking them down 8-1. 3B Jose Ramirez went 0-for-3 but drove in 2 runs. Those were his first RBIs since Aug. 22, and he hasn’t had a multihit game since Aug. 14. The Guardians are 7-13 over the last 20 games but still remain just 3 games out of a Wild Card.
The Rays are 1/2 game up on Cleveland in the Wild Card race and 2 1/2 out of a Wild Card spot of their own. Tampa has won 6 straight after sweeping the Seattle Mariners Wednesday with a 9-4 W. DH Yandy Diaz went 5-for-5 as the Rays pounded out 19 hits. They are 8-2 in their last 10.
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Guardians at Rays projected starters
LHP Logan Allen vs. RHP Ryan Pepiot
Allen (7-10, 4.42 ERA) makes his 26th start (27th appearance). He has a 1.44 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9 and 7.0 K/9 through 134 1/3 innings.
Last start: No-decision, 6 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K in 5-4 home win over Seattle Friday1 career start vs. Rays: No-decision, 5 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 5 K in 7-6 home victory in 11 innings Sept. 2, 2023
Pepiot (10-10, 3.70 ERA) makes his 29th start. He has a 1.15 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 8.8 K/9 through 158 innings.
Last start: Win, 5 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 6 K in a 4-1 win at Washington Nationals Saturday2 career starts vs. CLE: 1-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5 K in 8 IP
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Guardians at Rays odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:35 p.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Guardians +140 (bet $100 to win $140 | Rays -165 (bet $165 to win $100)Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Guardians +1.5 (-150) | Rays -1.5 (+125)Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)Guardians at Rays picks and predictionsPrediction
Rays 3, Guardians 1
The Rays are too expensive for me here at -165, but they are the side. Give me YANDY DIAZ OVER 1.5 TOTAL BASES (-120). He went 8-for-11 (.727) in the 3-game set against Seattle this week. He’s also 1-for-3 with a homer off Allen.
Give me the RAYS -1.5 (+125). Of the team’s 8 wins in their last 10, 7 were by multiple runs.
Give me the UNDER 8.5 (-115). The Over is just 1-8-1 in the last 10 meetings between these teams, and one team was shut out in half of them. So this is a big number, and the wind is blowing in.
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