Tampa Bay Rays vs
St. Louis CardinalsPredictions & Preview

Tampa Bay Rays Expected to Prevail Over St. Louis Cardinals in Pitching Showdown

The Tampa Bay Rays, currently fourth in AL East with a 57-55 record, will send Taj Bradley (RHP) with a 6-5 record and 2.71 ERA to the mound. Bradley is looking to bounce back from a recent loss to the Miami Marlins. On the other hand, the St. Louis Cardinals, third in the NL Central with a 58-56 record, will start Erick Fedde (RHP) with a 7-5 record and 3.34 ERA. Fedde is coming off a loss against the Chicago Cubs. St. Louis is the betting favorite for the matchup, with the current line at -108.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Rays -104 | Cardinals -108
• Spread: Rays -1.25 (-39) | Cardinals -0.25 (+11)
• Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that St. Louis will win straight-up is 52%.

Tampa Bay vs St. Louis Stats

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays have been facing challenges offensively this season, ranking 23rd in the majors with a .687 team OPS and scoring an average of 3.96 runs per game. However, they have excelled in stealing bases, ranking fourth in baseball with 119 stolen bases. First baseman Yandy Diaz has been a standout player with a .740 OPS, 10 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 41 runs scored. Pitcher Taj Bradley has shown impressive stats in areas like strikeout percentage and xBA, with a four-pitch arsenal. The team is currently ranked 27 in offense, 15 in defense, with a record of 57-55. Despite some injuries among key players, the team continues to push forward in their season.

St. Louis Cardinals Analysis

The St. Louis Cardinals have shown decent performance at the plate this season, currently ranking 20th in the majors with a .694 team OPS and averaging 4.14 runs per game. However, they have struggled in drawing walks, tying for 21st place with 325 total walks. Right fielder Alec Burleson has been a standout performer with a .765 OPS, 19 homers, 64 RBI, 51 runs scored, and seven stolen bases.

On the pitching side, Erick Fedde's performance has been subpar according to his Baseball Savant page, with below-average rankings in chase percentage, whiff percentage, barrel percentage, and strikeout percentage. Despite this, Fedde's sweeper pitch has been effective, holding hitters to a .172 batting average and .355 slugging percentage. On the injury front, the team has several players sidelined including center fielder Micharl Siani, pitcher Lance Lynn, pitcher Steven Matz, pitcher Kenyan Middleton, pitcher Riley O'Brien, and pitcher Drew Rom.

In terms of overall performance, the Cardinals have a power ranking of 20 and are currently #23 for offense and #21 for defense. They hold a 58-56 overall record. Recent matchups against the Tampa Bay Rays have not been favorable, with the Rays winning all three games.

Pitching Contrasts and Offensive Disparities Set Stage for Favorable Outcome for Tampa Bay Rays

A comparison of performance statistics reveals a distinct contrast between pitchers Taj Bradley and Erick Fedde since the All-Star break. Bradley boasts a record of 2-1 with a stellar 2.00 ERA and an impressive .119 batting average against in 18.0 innings pitched across three starts. In contrast, Fedde has struggled with an 0-2 record accompanied by a 5.87 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in 15.1 innings over three starts. Moreover, offensive performance disparities between the Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals have emerged in the second half of the season. The Rays rank 16th in the league with a .725 team OPS across 16 games, whereas the Cardinals lag behind in 21st place with a .697 team OPS in 18 games. Based on these factors, a favorable outcome is more likely for the Tampa Bay Rays in this upcoming game.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]