There\u2019s an AL East showdown on deck for tonight as the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Winners of nine straight, the home team looks to make it 10 straight victories when first pitch takes place at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s dive in with a preview, prediction and pick for tonight\u2019s Orioles vs. Rays game courtesy of odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook.<\/p>\n
Orioles vs. Rays prediction, preview<\/p>\n
The Orioles are firmly in the camp of just riding out the rest of the season and letting whatever happens, happen. They\u2019re 58-63 on the campaign with a -36 run differential, but they\u2019re just 2.0 games shy of an AL Wild Card berth. They\u2019ve also gone 12-12 since the All-Star break as well, though how they continue to fare after selling some at the trade deadline is uncertain. The Rays, meanwhile, are still atop the AL East at 74-46 with a +62 differential. Not only that, but they\u2019ve gone a stellar 18-8 since the break as well \u2013 that includes nine consecutive victories as the wins just keep on coming.<\/p>\n
RHP Chris Bassitt (4-4) gets the starting nod for Baltimore this evening amidst a rough age-37 season. He has a 5.27 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP across his 56.1 IP, also striking out just 37 hitters. That means an abysmally low 14.2% K% along with an 8.4% BB%, though his barrel rate is elite in the 92nd percentile. The Orioles\u2019 relievers are 19th in ERA at 4.25 with a 1.35 WHIP and a 12.0% K-BB%.<\/p>\n
LHP Steven Matz (5-4) will work the mound for Tampa Bay tonight. His ERA is 5.46 despite a respectable 1.23 WHIP in his 62.2 IP. The 48 strikeouts aren\u2019t great with an 18.1% K%, but a 7.5 BB% is solid enough and his hard-hit rate is in the 69th percentile. As for the bullpen, the unit slots in at seventh in ERA with a 3.72 mark along with an MLB-best 1.14 WHIP and a 15.3% K-BB%.<\/p>\n
Looking at the bats, the Rays have been highly productive all season long. Their .739 OPS ranks sixth among the entire MLB and they\u2019re fourth in wRC+, even despite having an offense that lacks much in the way of power. While a .148 ISO falls 24th and the club\u2019s 128 homers are just 21st, they still score plenty and reach base often while bringing the sport\u2019s best K% at 18.8%. And against right-handers, they slash .266\/.337\/.426 for an impressive .764 OPS.<\/p>\n
The Orioles aren\u2019t bad at the dish by any means. A .715 OPS is a respectable 16th among all clubs, and they\u2019re ninth in wRC+ as well. A .160 ISO ranks 13th and the 143 home runs off their bats are also 14th most in the sport. Now, a 24.3% K% is fourth highest of any team, so the plate discipline could probably be cleaned up. Still, there\u2019s some upside here, even if they\u2019ve dipped a bit since the break. Against lefties, the OPS sits at .711 with a slash line of .236\/.313\/.398 as well.<\/p>\n
Orioles vs. Rays pick, best bet<\/p>\n
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Rays as a -158 Moneyline favorite on at home this evening, while the Orioles enter as +147 underdogs to win on the road. The run total is set at eight.<\/p>\n
Bassitt and Matz both have high ERAs, and Bassitt\u2019s play in particular hasn\u2019t been great this year. He\u2019s been a little hot-and-cold, but the concern isn\u2019t giving up homers when facing Tampa Bay \u2013 instead, it\u2019s more about allowing a ton of baserunners. That\u2019s going to be a problem against a lineup with the .335 wOBA against right-handers that ranks third in the MLB, and to top it off, the Rays do have a .161 ISO in the split as well. There\u2019s a good chance they pick the veteran apart today, so I\u2019m quite comfortable with taking them to record over 4.5 runs in this game. They\u2019ve scored the eighth-most of any club since the break and clearly have momentum in their favor after nine straight wins, and they should make it 10 here.<\/p>\n