The Tampa Bay Rays (71-75) travel to face off against the Cleveland Guardians (84-62) on Thursday, September 12th. This game will be played at Progressive Field in Cleveland and televised on FOX. The Guardians are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Rays are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Phillies. First pitch is set for 6:15 CT.
Rays vs. Guardians Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Guardians (-142)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8 Runs
- The Guardians have won 8 of their last 15 games, showing a strong recent performance.
- In their last 15 games, the Guardians have scored 5 or more runs in 8 games, indicating a potent offense.
- The Guardians have a 5-2 record in their last 7 home games, demonstrating a home-field advantage.
- The Guardians have outscored their opponents by 21 runs in their last 15 games, showcasing their ability to control games.
- In their last 3 head-to-head games against the Rays, the Guardians have a 2-1 record, indicating recent success against their upcoming opponent.
Rays vs Guardians
The Guardians Took The Last Game Of This Series
The Rays will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Phillies with a 3-2 loss. This was especially tough, as they held a lead going into the 7th inning before the Phillies scored two runs in the bottom of the 8th. Tampa Bay was the +191 underdog going into this road game.
Shane Baz got the start for the Rays and took the loss. He pitched well, going 5 1/3 innings, and gave up just two runs on three hits. The Rays’ offense was carried by Jonathan Aranda, who went 2/3 with a homer and scored both of their runs.
At home, the Rays are 37-38 straight up and 22-19-6 in series. Their average run margin in wins is +2.8, but in losses, it’s -3.4. On the road, they are 34-37 straight up and 41-30 against the run line. As underdogs, they are 51-30 vs. the run line, but as favorites, they are 24-41.
Currently, Tampa Bay is 71-75 and 13 games behind the Yankees in the AL East. They are in 4th place, three games behind the Red Sox for the final Wild Card spot. The Rays have lost three games in a row, dropping the last game vs. the Phillies and the first two vs. the Guardians.
Ryan Pepiot Gets The Start For The Rays
Ryan Pepiot gets the start for the Rays today as he faces off against the Guardians on the road. He has made 22 starts this season and has a record of 8-6 with a 3.66 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Pepiot has a WHIP of 1.14 and opponents are batting .207 this season. In his last outing, he picked up the win, going 5 1/3 innings and giving up just one earned run. Before that, he had given up at least three earned runs in three straight starts. Pepiot’s ERA at home is 4.73 compared to 3.53 on the road.
Rays Offense Breakdown
Yandy Diaz has been one of the Rays’ most consistent hitters this season, batting .281 with a team-high 65 RBIs and 14 homers. He is also on a four-game hitting streak and has gone 11/31 in his last eight games. Christopher Morel and Jose Siri are also among the team leaders in home runs, but both are batting under .200 for the season.
As a team, the Rays are averaging just 3.8 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. They also have the league’s 22nd ranked home run total and are batting just .231. Tampa Bay’s offense has been even worse on the road, averaging just 3.9 runs per contest.
The Guardians Are Coming Off A Win
Cleveland closed out their series vs. the White Sox with a 6-4 win on the road. Leading up to the game, they were the heavy favorite at -238. Offensively, the Guardians scored their six runs on 10 hits and only hit one home run.
Matthew Boyd got the start for the Guardians, going 4 1/3 innings, and picked up the win. He only gave up one run on six hits and issued just two walks. The Guardians’s bullpen was a little shaky, giving up three runs in the 8th, but Emmanuel Clase was able to close things out and pick up the save.
Cleveland has a 74-72 run line record this season, and their average run margin is +0.5 runs per game. They have covered the run line in five straight games and have an over/under record of 66-69 for the season. When the O/U line is set at 8 runs, the Guardians have a 13-15-6 record.
The Guardians lead the AL Central by 4.5 games with an 84-62 overall record. They have a 43-25 home record and are 38-18 as favorites at home. So far this season, they have been the favorite in 89 games, going 59-30 in those matchups.
Gavin Williams Gets The Start For The Guardians
Cleveland is sending Gavin Williams to the mound today vs. the Rays, and he will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Dodgers. In that start, he went just two-thirds of an inning, giving up five earned runs, three walks, and two homers. Williams took the loss in that outing. Before that, he had pitched well, picking up the win vs. the Royals and going seven innings, giving up just one earned run. Williams’ ERA for the season is 5.25, along with a record of 3-8. Opponents are batting .236 off the right-hander this season. Per nine innings, Williams is averaging 3.9 walks compared to 9.6 strikeouts.
Guardians Offense Breakdown
After a seven-game stretch in which Lane Thomas has gone 10/28 with two homers and 10 RBIs, he is currently on a seven-game hitting streak for the Guardians. Over that stretch, Thomas has scored four runs. Overall, Thomas is batting .357 for the season. As a team, the Guardians are averaging 4.5 runs per game and have the 10th ranked home run total in the league.
Leading the way for the Guardians in terms of RBIs is José Ramírez, who is 2nd in the league with 106 RBIs and has a team-high 34 homers. Ramírez is also on a four-game hitting streak. Josh Naylor is 5th in the league in RBIs and has gone deep 29 times this season.
Rays vs Guardians Prediction
Our prediction for this Rays vs. Guardians matchup is to take the Guardians on the money line at -142. We have the Guardians winning this one by a final score of 5-4. As for the starting pitchers, Gavin Williams has a higher strikeout projection than Ryan Pepiot, and we have Williams finishing with seven K’s.
If you’re looking for a parlay, you could pair a Guardians win with the over. However, our prediction is that this one will stay under the 8 run line. Looking at the Rays, they are projected to finish with just four runs compared to the Guardians with nine.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:September 12, 2024 Guardians, Rays