Jake Odorizzi (3-2, 2.09 ERA) is on the hill for the Tampa Bay Rays (20-16) as they square off against Phil Hughes (2-4, 5.11 ERA) and the Minnesota Twins (19-16) in the first of a three-game series at Target Field. Action begins at 8:10 p.m. ET on Friday, May. 15 and can be seen on SunSports and FSN-N.
Hughes is 4-6 with a 4.81 ERA in his appearances against the Rays, but goes up against a below-average Tampa Bay offense which is batting just .237 this season. Torii Hunter (.281, 20 Rs, 6 HRs, 21 RBIs, 1 SB) went 1 for 3 yesterday with two runs, one home run, and one RBI. Against the Twins, Odorizzi is 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, and five strikeouts. David DeJesus (.300, 10 Rs, 2 HRs, 13 RBIs, 1 SB) went 1 for 3 yesterday with one run.
Minnesota is a narrow -112 favorite at home against Tampa Bay. The Over/Under (O/U) is sitting at eight runs for this matchup. The Twins have recorded an overall money line of +707 and have shown high-level performance as a favorite this season with a record of 4-2. Minnesota is unbeaten as the favorite and has a 6-4 SU record in its last ten outings. Opposing batters know they’re in for a battle when they play Minnesota. The Twins are one of the top teams when it comes to pitching, allowing just 3.8 runs per home game.
In games where it is the underdog, Tampa Bay has a 10-8 record and an overall money line of +272. When it comes to preventing batters from getting on base, the Rays are one of the best in the league with a WHIP of 1.14 for the season. The Rays have established a reputation of overwhelming hitters with an AL-best 8.7 strikeouts per game, making them one of the top five teams in the league.
The Twins have an 8-11 record against right-handed starting pitchers on the year, which is what they’ll be facing when Odorizzi takes the mound. Hughes (RHP) will be on the hill against the Rays, who have a 15-10 record against right-handed starting pitchers.
Predictions: SU Winner – TB, O/U – Over
Notes
When leading after 7 innings, Tampa Bay is 7-6, while Minnesota is 3-6.
Having scored one run in their last game, the Twins are going to have to up their game if they want to win this matchup. The Rays have an 8-1 record in games where opponents scored that many runs or fewer.
When they are outhit, the Twins are 3-15. The Rays have a 3-11 record when opponents outhit them.
Ranking 24th in home runs, Minnesota has hit 25 this season. Tampa Bay ranks 11th with 33 home runs.
Ranking 13th, Tampa Bay is in the top half of the league in hits, notching 7.71 per game. Minnesota ranks in the top five at fourth with 8.94.
Minnesota and Tampa Bay both rank near the bottom of the league for their on-base plus slugging percentage. Minnesota sits at 21st with an OPS of .695 and Tampa Bay ranks 22nd with an OPS of .692.
The Rays are 9-10 when they allow at least one home run. The Twins perform similarly when they allow one or more homers with a 9-13 record.
