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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.
In what is a bullpen game for the Rays, Tampa Bay will send Jeffrey Springs to the mound as the opener. The Angels will give the ball to starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
Jeffrey Springs has made nine appearances this season, pitching more than two innings only twice and more than three innings only once. He has allowed one run in just over nine innings. He has been a very reliable component of a strong Rays bullpen.
Noah Syndergaard has a 2.63 ERA. He has pitched into the sixth inning in all four of his starts this season, and he has not given up more than three runs in any of those outings.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Rays-Angels MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Rays-Angels Odds
Tampa Bay Rays: +1.5 (-178)
Los Angeles Angels: -1.5 (+146)
Over: 7.5 (-120)
Under: 7.5 (-102)
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Why The Rays Could Cover the Spread
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The Rays have historically not done well in recent years in Seattle, but they just won three of four from the Mariners and have quickly rebounded from a sluggish start to their season. The Rays looked horrible in the second week of their season, losing three of four at home to a not-very-good Oakland team. The Rays needed a few weeks to shake off the uncertainty they played with at the start of the season. This is a team which chose to let Austin Meadows and Joey Wendle — two very dependable players — go to other teams. There was definitely an adjustment period. In the past 10 days, the Rays have looked like the team which won a cutthroat American League East last year. This is certainly something to keep in mind when making a Rays Angels prediction.
Should you worry about the Rays choosing a bullpen game here? Not at all. The Rays do this all the time. They are one of the pioneers in the baseball industry, in fact. They are getting well-rounded contributions throughout their rotation and are getting the timely hitting which was absent in early April.
One other subtle reason the Rays are a good pick: They just had a six-game winning streak snapped. In baseball, even the best teams are going to lose 55 to 65 games. The Rays were bound to lose a game at some point. You don't need to worry about the odds running out in this game. That happened on Sunday in Seattle.
Why The Angels Could Cover the Spread
After eight innings on Sunday against the Washington Nationals, the Angels looked like a defeated team. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani were regularly beaten by Washington pitchers in key situations. The Angels were three outs away from losing a series to the Nats at home. This is a Los Angeles team which lost a home series to the Baltimore Orioles a few weeks earlier. The Angels got off to a great start this season, but losing to the Nats would have changed the conversation surrounding them.
Then came Ohtani.
He tied the game with a base hit and then scored on a single from Anthony Rendon, giving the Halos a thrilling 5-4 victory. The three-run ninth inning enabled the Angels to win the series and maintain the belief that they really are as good as their record. It's a great catapult into this series against the Rays, as Joe Maddon goes up against the team he piloted to the 2008 American League pennant. There's a lot to think about as you make a Rays Angels pick.
Final Rays-Angels Prediction & Pick
If you think the Angels are the real deal, you have good reason to do so. However, the Rays are a more proven team than the Angels and are playing up to their capabilities. The Rays are getting a run and a half, too. That helps.
Final Rays-Angels Prediction & Pick: Rays +1.5
