Tampa Bay Rays vs
Cleveland GuardiansPredictions & Preview

Rays vs Guardians: Pitching Matchup Favors Cleveland as Both Teams Struggle

In an upcoming matchup, the Tampa Bay Rays will face off against the Cleveland Guardians in the middle game of a three-game series. Both teams are struggling, with Tampa Bay losing four of their last six games and Cleveland on a five-game losing streak. The Rays are currently 12.5 games behind in the AL East and 6.5 games out of the wildcard spot, while the Guardians trail by 12.5 games in the AL Central and five games in the wildcard race. Both teams will be missing key players in this game. For a more detailed analysis and prediction of the game, be sure to read the full article.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Rays +107 | Guardians -120
• Spread: Rays +1.5 (-204) | Guardians -1.5 (+175)
• Total: Over/Under 7.75 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Cleveland will win straight-up is 55%.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays currently rank 8th in batting average, 14th in runs scored, 16th in slugging percentage, and 18th in on-base percentage. Junior Caminero leads the team in home runs and RBI, with Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz following closely behind. The Rays have had success with extra base hits and are ranked 5th in Quality Starts and WHIP. Drew Rasmussen leads in wins, while Ryan Pepiot leads in strikeouts and ERA for starters. Shane Baz will be starting on Tuesday with a record of 8-10 this season.

Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians are struggling offensively, ranking towards the bottom in runs scored, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and batting average. Jose Ramirez leads the team in home runs and RBI, with Kyle Manzardo close behind. Six players have contributed significantly to the team's RBI total. On the pitching side, Cleveland has a decent ERA but struggles in WHIP and quality starts. Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams have been standout performers on the mound. Left-hander Parker Messick will be starting for Cleveland on Tuesday, with solid stats so far this season.

Tampa Bay vs Cleveland: Pitching Matchup Favors Indians as Rays Struggle

Tampa Bay has faced challenges in recent games, losing four of the last six and six of the last eight matchups against American League opponents. Similarly, Cleveland has also experienced difficulties with five consecutive losses. However, Cleveland has the advantage of starting pitcher Parker Messick, who displayed strong performance in his major league debut last week, in contrast to Tampa Bay's struggling starting pitcher. Shane Baz of Tampa Bay has yielded 26 hits and 19 runs in his last four appearances, resulting in three losses for the team. On the other hand, Parker Messick showcased promising potential in his debut by allowing just one run in 6.2 innings. Cleveland also holds a slight advantage in bullpen performance, boasting an ERA of 3.60 compared to Tampa Bay's 3.81.

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