From Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, we have the Diamondbacks and Rays facing off in an interleague matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 1:40 PM ET. BSSUN is carrying this one on TV.
The Diamondbacks are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -125 compared to the Rays at +105. The over/under line is currently at 7.5 runs, and the forecast for Sunday's game calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-80s. Merrill Kelly is starting for the Diamondbacks, and he is facing off against Drew Rasmussen. Arizona is 69-55, while the Rays are 61-61.
Arizona vs. Tampa Bay Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Diamondbacks at Rays
- Where: Tropicana Field St. Petersburg
- Date: Sunday, August 18th
- Betting Odds ARI -125 | TB +105 O/U 7.5
Diamondbacks vs Rays Last Game Recap
It was all Tampa Bay in the last game of this series, as the Rays took down the Diamondbacks by a score of 6-1. The Rays offense only had one more hit than the Diamondbacks and struck out six times, but still picked up a convincing win. Heading into the game, they were at -103 on the money line.
This game featured a starting pitching matchup between Jeffrey Springs for the Rays and Zac Gallen for the Diamondbacks. Springs only went five innings but gave up just one hit and one earned run. On the other side, Gallen was tagged for four runs in five innings of work.
Tampa Bay's top three hitters, Brandon Lowe, Yandy Diaz, and Alex Jackson, combined for five hits, two homers, and four RBIs. Lowe and Jackson each had a two-run shot for the Rays' offense.
Diamondbacks Preview
Arizona has a 22-13-4 series record this season and has won nine straight series. They are looking to avoid a sweep today, as they have lost the first two games of the series against the Rays. The Diamondbacks are currently 3rd in the NL West, three games behind the Dodgers, with a 69-55 overall record.
When favored, the Diamondbacks have a 38-23 straight-up record, but are just 24-37 against the run line. Their games have averaged 9.9 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 67-50. The O/U line for today's game is set at 7.5 runs, which is lower than usual, as 84.7% of their games have had higher total lines.
Merrill Kelly is on the mound for the Diamondbacks today, as they are on the road to take on the Rays. Kelly has made 3 starts so far this season, and he has picked up a win in each of his last 2 outings. In his first start of the season, he went 7 innings and gave up 2 runs on 5 hits.
Arizona comes into the game as the league's top-scoring offense, averaging 5.2 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.5 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .261, which is the 3rd best mark in the league, and have the league's top on-base percentage. Arizona also has the 4th best OPS in the league.
Over the team's last eight games, Jake McCarthy has gone 13/33 and has driven in 12 runs. He has also gone deep twice in that stretch. Corbin Carroll has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/29 with three homers. Ketel Marte has been the team's top power threat this season, as his 30 homers are 6th best in the league. He is also batting .298 and has 81 RBIs.
Rays Preview
Overall, the Rays have a 61-61 record, placing them 4th in the AL East, 11 games behind the Yankees. They are currently four games behind the Red Sox for the final Wild Card spot. Tampa Bay's series record is 20-15-4, but they have lost three straight series.
On the run line, the Rays are 62-60, with a 34-21 record on the road and a 40-24 record as underdogs. Their games have averaged 8.2 runs this season, resulting in a 55-61 over/under record. For games with O/U lines of 7.5, they are 19-21.
Drew Rasmussen will be making his first start of the season for the Rays, as he has made three appearances out of the bullpen so far. His most recent outing was a 2-inning effort where he struck out three and allowed two hits. He has yet to allow a home run this season.
Heading into today's game, the Rays are 28th in the MLB in runs per game at just 3.9. This has been even worse at home, where they are averaging only 3.6 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .233 and have the league's 24th ranked slugging percentage.
Yandy Diaz comes into the game with a four-game hitting streak and is batting .273 for the season. He has also been swinging the bat well of late, going 9/36 in his last nine games. Diaz is the team's leader in RBIs, with 54. Christopher Morel leads the Rays with 20 home runs, but he is batting just .189 for the season.
Diamondbacks vs. Rays Prediction: Diamondbacks ML -125
Our prediction for this Diamondbacks vs. Rays matchup is to take the Diamondbacks on the money line at -125. We have the Diamondbacks winning this one by a score of 5-4, so there is some value in taking them on the money line.
Looking at some potential player props, we have Merrill Kelly finishing with five strikeouts, and for Drew Rasmussen, we have him finishing with six strikeouts. Offensively, the Diamondbacks are projected to finish with nine strikeouts, while the Rays are projected to finish with eight.
