Pittsburgh Pirates vs
Tampa Bay RaysPredictions & Preview

Tampa Bay Rays Favored to Win Against Pittsburgh Pirates in Interleague Series Opener

The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-2) will face the Tampa Bay Rays (1-1) in the first game of their three-game interleague series on Monday night in Florida at 7:05 PM ET. Carmen Mlodzinski will start for the Pirates, while Drew Rasmussen will take the mound for the Rays. Tampa Bay has a strong record against Pittsburgh, winning 8 of their last 10 matchups. The Rays are the favorites to win with an opening line of -165.**Please note this preview was written before Sunday's games were played.**

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Pirates +142 | Rays -165
• Spread: Pirates +1.5 (-151) | Rays -1.5 (+130)
• Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Tampa Bay will win straight-up is 62%.

Pittsburgh vs Tampa Bay Stats

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates started the season with a four-game series against Miami, but unfortunately, they were unable to secure the series win. They will travel to Tampa Bay on Monday to face the Rays and aim to take the series lead. Last season, the Pirates averaged 4.10 runs per game, and they have averaged four runs per game in their first three games this season. They currently have a .189 batting average (24th in the league), a .326 on base percentage (10th), and a .274 slugging percentage (24th). Isiah Kiner-Falefa leads the team with a .333 batting average, while Oneil Cruz leads in home runs and RBIs. The pitching staff has struggled, giving up an average of 4.33 runs per game with opponents batting .255 against them (25th in the league). Their ERA is 3.49 (12th), and WHIP is 1.41 (22nd). Currently ranked 25th in power rankings, the Pirates are ranked 17th in offense, 17th in defense, and hold a 1-2 record so far this season.

Tampa Bay Rays Analysis

The Tampa Bay Rays opened the season with a series against Colorado and will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in another interleague series starting on Monday. Tampa Bay has won three straight series against the Pirates and will aim to make it four in a row this week. The team averaged 3.73 runs per game last season, ranking second-worst in the league, but has averaged two runs per game through their first two games this season. Their .292 batting average is fourth in the league, with a .347 on-base percentage ranking seventh and a .385 slugging percentage ranking 14th. Junior Caminero leads the team with a .444 batting average, while Kameron Misner leads with one home run and one RBI. Tampa Bay's pitching has been strong, giving up an average of two runs per game through two games. Opponents have a .200 batting average against the Rays, ranking eighth in the league, with a 1.50 ERA ranking fourth and a 0.89 WHIP ranking second. Tampa Bay has a power ranking of 14 and ranks 22nd in offense, fifth in defense, and is currently 1-1 overall. In their last three matchups, Pittsburgh went 2-1 against Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay Rays Hold Advantage Over Pittsburgh Pirates in upcoming game

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays each have one win as of Sunday. The Rays hold the advantage due to their strong hitting performance, boasting a .400 batting average against right-handed pitchers. Mlodzinski, typically utilized as a relief pitcher last season, struggled in limited appearances against Tampa Bay, allowing one run in just 1.2 innings pitched. Combined with Pittsburgh's bullpen issues, they will likely face challenges containing the Rays' offense. On the other hand, the Pirates are struggling offensively with a .200 batting average against right-handers. Rasmussen, who performed well on the mound last season, has had success against the Pirates, allowing only one run in his last six innings pitched against them. Therefore, it is predicted that Tampa Bay will exceed expectations and cover the money line in this upcoming game.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]