Tampa Bay Rays vs
Philadelphia PhilliesPredictions & Preview

Philadelphia Phillies Favored to Dominate Tampa Bay Rays in Game Two After 3-0 Season Sweep

The Tampa Bay Rays will be facing the Philadelphia Phillies in game two of their series at Citizens Bank Park. The Rays have a record of 71-73 and are ranked fourth in the AL East, while the Phillies have a record of 86-58 and lead the NL East. Philadelphia holds a 3-0 record against the Rays this season. The first pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. EST, with Taj Bradley starting for the Rays and Ranger Suarez starting for the Phillies. Philadelphia is the betting favorite, opening at -161 and currently at -167.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Rays +149 | Phillies -167
• Spread: Rays +1.5 (-143) | Phillies -1.5 (+124)
• Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Philadelphia will win straight-up is 63%.

Tampa Bay vs Philadelphia Stats

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays lost a close game against the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday with a final score of 2-1. They are currently on a road trip and have a record of 2-2. The Rays have struggled offensively this season, ranking 27th in hits with a batting average of .231. However, they have a strong pitching core and bullpen, with an ERA of 3.71, which ranks seventh in the league. Their pitching has kept them in games but their offense has led them to be under .500 and outside of the playoff race. Cole Sulser made his first start of the season yesterday, pitching one inning with two walks and no hits. The bullpen only allowed five hits and two runs against a strong offense. Right-handed pitcher Taj Bradley will be starting on Tuesday, with a record of 6-10 and an ERA of 4.40 this season. The Rays are ranked 28th in offense, 12th in defense, and have a season record of 71-73, with a power ranking of 17.

Philadelphia Phillies Analysis

The Philadelphia Phillies secured a 2-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays in yesterday's game as part of their six-game homestand. This win marks the beginning of their pursuit to overtake the LA Dodgers for the top spot in the National League. Philadelphia has shown dominance this season with a batting average of .259 and ranking fifth in runs scored, as well as ranking fifth in ERA at 3.72. Starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez delivered a strong performance, allowing no runs and four hits in six innings pitched. Despite facing a strong Tampa Bay bullpen, the Phillies managed to clinch the win with Kyle Schwarber's homerun. Currently holding a winning percentage of .597, the Phillies are closely trailing the Dodgers at .601. Looking ahead, left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez will take the mound for the Phillies, boasting a record of 12-6 with an ERA of 2.90 and 132 strikeouts in 23 appearances this season. The Phillies hold a power ranking of 11 and rank fifth in offense and eighth in defense, with an overall record of 86-58. Despite Tampa Bay's recent success against Philadelphia, the Phillies remain focused on their upcoming matchups in the remaining weeks of the regular season.

Phillies Expected to Dominate Rays in Matchup with Strong Pitching Edge

The Philadelphia Phillies have shown dominance in their recent matchups against the Tampa Bay Rays, boasting a 4-0 record and covering a -1.5 spread in three of those victories. Unfortunately, Tampa Bay's Taj Bradley has been struggling on the mound with an 0-4 record and an ERA of 9.12 in his last five starts. If the Rays falter early and allow numerous runs, it may prove difficult for them to make a comeback considering the strong performance expected from Phillies' pitcher Cristopher Sanchez. Given the disparity in starting pitchers, the Phillies are likely to prevail in this matchup and cover the run line at their home field. Therefore, my recommendation is to support the Phillies at -1.5 for this game.

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