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The Tampa Bay Rays take on the Los Angeles Angels. Check out our MLB odds series, for our Rays Angels prediction and pick.
Shane McClanahan gets the start for the Rays. Shohei Ohtani gets the ball for the Angels.
McClanahan has a 3.06 ERA, Ohtani 3.08. How have these two pitchers arrived at their very similar ERA numbers, as you contemplate the MLB odds? McClanahan has had several decent to moderately good outings. He is generally asked to go five or six innings and set up the game for the Rays' bullpen. He has generally achieved that task this season. His worst outing was a game in which he didn't get out of the fifth inning and allowed three runs, so he has been consistent in minimizing damage and avoiding the big inning.
Ohtani has been more dominant than McClanahan when at his best. He has given up just two runs in his last three outings over 18 innings. He is in excellent form and is also enjoying a resurgence at the plate. It will be fascinating to see if Ohtani's recent spasm of high-voltage offense has a negative effect on his pitching, which has been great during a period in which Ohtani wasn't hitting very well. Can he do both at a high level? Of course he can. At the same time? Also yes. However, he hasn't done that (hit and pitch well at the same time) very often so far this season, though it's only May 11. This is a fascinating thing to consider when formulating a Rays Angels prediction.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Rays-Angels MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Rays-Angels Odds
Tampa Bay Rays: +1.5 (-230)
Los Angeles Angels: -1.5 (+188)
Over: 6.5 (-122)
Under: 6.5 (+100)
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Why The Rays Could Cover the Spread
The Rays have flatly been embarrassed by the Angels the last two days, losing 11-3 on Monday and getting no-hit in a 12-0 blowout on Tuesday. Los Angeles 23, Tampa Bay 3. It has been a bloodbath for the Rays in Anaheim, as they have fallen further behind the white-hot Yankees in the American League East. Given how badly the Rays have played the past two days, and given how good a team they generally are, the Rays Angels odds would seem set up to favor Tampa Bay. There is a lot of respect shown to the Rays with the run line. That price is kind of high, but the belief that the Rays will cover the spread in this game is worth taking very seriously.
The other thing to note is that Shane McClanahan is a solid pitcher who will prevent the Angels' currently thriving offense from going wild. Also realize that this game is a late-afternoon start, which means shadows over the field, which is usually advantageous to hitters. Add the discussion about Ohtani above. It is worth being skeptical about his pitching now that he is hitting so well. This is part of the calculus in a Rays Angels pick.
Why The Angels Could Cover the Spread
After Tuesday's no-hit win, the surging Angels are coming to the ballpark supremely confident about themselves. The New York Yankees are the only team in the American League with a better record. Having a healthy Ohtani and a healthy Mike Trout certainly makes a big difference for this club, but what is also clear — as Reid Detmers' no-hitter shows — is that the Angels are getting great contributions from a lot of different players. The attitude in the clubhouse is positive. The enthusiasm is infectious. Everyone is joining in on the fun. This is what a winning ballclub looks like.
Also realize that the Rays are missing some players from last year's team. This isn't quite the same assemblage of players from 2021. The Angels have pounced on this version of the Rays, and they could easily do so again.
Final Rays-Angels Prediction & Pick
Ohtani is very hard to bet against, but so are the Rays after they have played two terrible baseball games in a row. Are they really going to make it three? We doubt it.
Final Rays-Angels Prediction & Pick: Rays +1.5, over 6.5
