Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers will look to extend their five-game winning streak on Saturday, but they will face a Rays club that has lost two straight. The Rays are 64-64 and they are starting Taj Bradley.
Los Angeles has the best record in the NL West and are 77-52 overall. They are the heavy favorite on the money line today at -184, while the odds have the Rays at +155. Today's over/under line is at 8 runs, and the game will be televised on BSSUN.
Tampa Bay vs. Los Angeles Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Rays at Dodgers
- Where: Dodger Stadium Los Angeles
- Date: Saturday, August 24th
- Betting Odds LAD -184 | TB +155 O/U 8
Rays vs Dodgers Last Game Recap
Thanks to a four-run 9th inning for the Dodgers' offense, they cruised to a 7-3 win over the Rays in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Dodgers were favored at -199 on the money line.
The starting pitching matchup for this game featured Bobby Miller for the Dodgers, and he went six innings while giving up three runs and picked up a win. Tyler Alexander only went 4 1/3 innings for the Rays, giving up three earned runs.
Los Angeles got a huge performance from Shohei Ohtani, as he went 2/5 with a home run and four RBIs. Ohtani also picked up a win in his last outing on the mound. Enrique Hernandez and Tommy Edman each had two hits and three RBIs for the Dodgers' offense.
Rays Preview
As underdogs, the Rays have a 41-25 run line record this season, and their overall run line record is 64-64. Their games have averaged 8.1 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 57-65. In games with an 8-run total, their O/U record is 13-18-1.
Tampa Bay is currently 3.5 games behind the Red Sox for the final Wild Card spot in the AL, and they have lost two straight games heading into today's matchup with the Dodgers. The Rays are 30-30 on the road and 34-34 at home this season.
Taj Bradley gets the start for the Rays today as he faces the Dodgers on the road. So far this season, he has made 18 starts and has a record of 6-8. Bradley's ERA is 3.55, and he is coming off a rough outing in which he gave up three earned runs in six innings of work. In that outing, he gave up two homers. Bradley has lost each of his last four starts and has allowed at least one homer in each of those outings. His WHIP for the season is currently 1.16.
For the season, the Rays are averaging just 3.8 runs per game, which is 28th in the league. They have been even worse at home, averaging just 3.7 runs per game. As a team, the Rays are batting just .230 and have the 22nd ranked home run total in the league.
Christopher Morel has been one of the Rays' worst hitters this season, batting just .196. However, he has gone 7/19 in his last five games with a home run. Morel is also on a three-game hitting streak. Yandy Diaz is hitting .272 for the season and leads the team with 55 RBIs.
Dodgers Preview
Los Angeles has covered the run line in four straight home games and has an overall run line record of 57-57 as the favorite. The Dodgers are 41-22 straight up when favored at home, and their series record is 24-17-2. They have won two consecutive series and are currently on a five-game winning streak.
The Dodgers' games this season have averaged 9.0 runs, and their over/under record is 68-59. The over has hit in the last two games, and when the total is set at 8 runs, the O/U record is 6-12. Los Angeles leads the NL West by four games over the Diamondbacks with an overall record of 77-52.
Clayton Kershaw is getting the start for the Dodgers at home against the Rays. Kershaw has started 2 games so far this season, and in his last outing, he picked up the win against the Cardinals, going 6 innings and striking out 2. He has yet to give up a home run this season.
Shohei Ohtani has been one of the league's top power hitters this season, as he comes into the game with 40 home runs, which is 2nd in the league. He is also 6th in the league with 92 RBIs. Ohtani is batting .292 for the season but has gone just 9/39 in his last nine games. However, he has three homers in that stretch. Teoscar Hernandez is also a big power threat for the Dodgers, as he is 12th in the league with 26 homers and is batting .265 for the season.
As a team, the Dodgers are 3rd in the league in home runs and are 5th in the league in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5 runs per contest. Overall, they are 6th in team batting average and are 2nd in the league in walks.
Rays vs. Dodgers Prediction: Over 8 Runs -109
Our prediction for this Dodgers vs. Rays matchup is to take the over, with the line currently sitting at 8 runs. We have the Dodgers winning this one by a final score of 5-4, meaning there is some value in taking the Dodgers on the money line, but we see the payout for an over bet as a better option.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Clayton Kershaw finishing with seven strikeouts compared to Taj Bradley with seven. If you're looking for a player prop bet, Kershaw is a good option. As for Bradley, we have him going just two innings, and he is projected to give up the most earned runs of any starter today.
