Opening Day in the Mile High City has arrived as the Tampa Bay Rays take on the Colorado Rockies for the first home game of the season at Coors Field! Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Rays-Rockies prediction and pick will be revealed.

Losers in three of their last four, the Tampa Bay enters the thin air of Colorado with an overall record of 3-4 including coming up short most recently at the hands of the World Champion Texas Rangers. Nevertheless, it is still extremely early in the season and there will be plenty of time for this Rays ball club to start stringing together some wins. Getting the start in this one for Tampa Bay will be RHP Zack Littell who is already 1-0 on the young season.

With their worst start to a season in franchise history, there is no place to go but up for the Colorado Rockies. As it stands, the Rockies have begun the season with a lousy 1-6 record and already find themselves in the basement of an ultra-competitive NL West division. Can lefty Austin Gomber right his wrongs from his opening outing of the 2o24 campaign and help give his team a much-needed victory?

Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Rays-Rockies Odds

Tampa Bay Rays: -1.5 (-118)

Moneyline: -176

Colorado Rockies: +1.5 (-102)

Moneyline: +148

Over: 12.5 (-106)

Under: 12.5 (-114)

How to Watch Rays vs. Rockies

Time: 4:10 ET/1:10 PT

TV: Bally Sports Florida/MLB.TV

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Rays Will Cover The Spread/Win

Entering the season with lofty expectations after enduring a 99-win campaign in 2023, Tampa Bay has stumbled slightly out of the starting gates with a 3-4 mark. Nevertheless, many believe that Tampa Bay will be just fine as the season progresses.

The recipe for success in order for the Rays to spoil the Rockies' Opening Day festivities will be to jump on Colorado's throat beginning with the opening frame. In every single game thus far, the Rockies have failed to strike first and ultimately have lost all but one contest in the process. After it was Tampa Bay that quickly trailed by a score of 4-0 to the Rangers in their recent loss, it will be important to take the steam out of Coors Field from the get-go.

Despite the slow start to the season, there have been a few Rays hitters that appear to be in mid-season form already. Starting with Yandy Diaz, the Tampa Bay first-baseman has already belted out six runs batted in and is hitting a productive .269. Not to mention, but names like Randy Arozarena and even shortstop Jose Caballero who is hitting .316 may be in for big games at hitter-friendly Coors Field.

Pitching-wise, the Rays shouldn't be overly concerned with Colorado's offense, but avoiding giving free passes needs to be the focus for Mr. Littell. Having not given up a single run yet, Littell could be in for a big day versus an underwhelming Colorado offense that is slumping heavily.

Why The Rockies Will Cover The Spread/Win

After staring down the barrel of an 8-2 deficit against the Chicago Cubs in the bottom of the sixth inning, it was the Rockies that almost pulled off a gigantic comeback as they eventually stormed back to tie the game at eight apiece. However, this turned out to be sort lived as Colorado was outlasted 9-8 by the time the ninth inning was under wraps.

To make matters worse for this team, the Rockies' run differential through the first seven games of the season is putrid, to say the least. Entering play, Colorado possesses a -34 run differential which is by far the worst mark in all of baseball. Luckily, the longest-tenured Rockie in OF Charlie Blackmon has turned back the block and is currently tearing the cover off the baseball. In the leadoff spot, Blackmon is raking .417 and has recorded a combined six hits in his last two games.

While the bats have been disastrous en route to compiling a mediocre .218 batting average, the pitching has been that much worse. Historically, Colorado has found it difficult to produce top-level talent with their arms in the high altitude. However, this is no excuse. Throughout the first seven games combined which have all come on the road, the Rockies have amassed a disturbing 8.37 earned-run average which is dead-last in baseball. If the Rockies want any chance in this one, Gomber and company will need to show up. Simply put, ever since coming to Centennial State from St. Louis and being involved in the blockbuster trade that sent Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals, Gomber has failed to live up to the hype. Indeed, the time is now for the 30-year-old southpaw to become one of Colorado's top pitching arms.

Final Rays-Rockies Prediction & Pick

Clearly, these are a pair of collective franchises that are headed in opposite directions. Barring some Opening Day magic, the Rays should have no issues in overwhelming the Rockies with their superior talent that will be displayed on the baseball diamond.

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Final Rays-Rockies Prediction & Pick: Rays -1.5 (-118)