The Minnesota Twins are heading south to play the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. This AL matchup will begin at 7:10 p.m. ET and fans hoping to watch it can tune in to Fox Sports North.
Minnesota Twins at Tampa Bay Rays Odds
Vegas has listed Minnesota (+105) as the underdog to Tampa Bay (-115). Gamblers can wager on the game’s total with odds sitting at -120 for over 7.5 runs and +100 for under 7.5. The game’s most recent runline odds stand at -200 for taking the Twins +1.5 runs and +170 for the Rays -1.5 runs.
The Rays are just 5-13 SU and 9-9 ATS. They’ve lost 8.8 units for moneyline bettors and 0.8 units against the spread (ATS). Tampa Bay has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the total has gone over in four of those seven. The Twins have gone 8-5 SU this year and are 10-3 ATS. In total, the team’s gained 3.5 units for moneyline gamblers in the season’s early going and 7.2 units ATS. Minnesotahas covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the total has gone under in five of those seven.
Rays games have had an over/under record of 11-7 thus far in 2018. Twins games have gone under nine times, gone over four times and pushed on zero occasions.
The right-handed Lance Lynn is the projected starter for the visiting Twins. Lynn is 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA and 12 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Rays this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (0-0, 2.57 ERA and eight strikeouts over seven innings).
The Rays are turning to righty Chris Archer (1-1, 7.84 ERA), who has 24 strikeouts and nine walks as well as a WHIP of 1.69. Archer only made one start against the Twins in 2017 (1-0, 2.35 ERA and 11 strikeouts across 7.2 innings).
Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has yielded 5.2 runs per game overall in 2018 as a unit. The team’s starters have an ERA of 4.87, a WHIP of 1.34 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 8.6. The bullpen has a 4.72 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 8.2 K/9.
The Tampa Bay hitters are putting up 3.4 runs per contest, including 4.2 per game over its last 10 games and 4.4 per game over their last five. The team has hit .282/.344/.424 over its last five contests and is 2-3 SU during that span.
Outfielder Mallex Smith and second baseman Daniel Robertson have led the Rays’ batters this year. Smith is slashing .373/.418/.510 with 19 hits, three RBIs and six runs scored, while Robertson’s line is .250/.455/.406 with eight hits, three RBIs and nine runs.
Smith performed well against righty pitching at home last season. Across 122 such plate appearances, he slashed .305/.393/.429 (compared to his overall season line of .270/.329/.355).
For the visiting squad, Minnesota’s pitching staff allowed 3.4 runs per game and its starters own a 2.97 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 9.04 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.16, along with a K/9 of 8.42.
Twins hitters have slashed .232/.310/.392 on their way to 4.2 runs scored per game in 2018, including 3.9 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (4-1 SU).
First baseman Joe Mauer and second baseman Brian Dozier have led Minnesota’s hitters. Mauer is slashing .364/.500/.477 with 16 hits, six RBIs and six runs scored, while Dozier is slashing .281/.359/.544 with 16 hits, four homers, seven RBIs and 12 runs scored.
The Twins have gained 1.0 units and are 8-3 ATS when facing a righty starter this season. The over has hit in four of those games, compared to seven that’ve gone under in such games. On the other hand, the Rays have lost 7.0 units and are 3-7 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in six of those games, compared to four that’ve gone under.
Minnesota Twins vs. Tampa Bay Rays MLB Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Twins, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Trends
The Twins have won four of their last five games SU.
Tampa Bay has posted 22.6 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 23.6 over its last five.
The Twins have hit eight home runs in their last 10 games. The Rays have hit seven over their last 10.
+++++
