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It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Twins-Rays prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Twins Rays.
The Minnesota Twins should feel good about themselves and their situation right now, despite losing to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. Minnesota has not been playing well of late. The Twins clearly miss stars Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, who give them a lot of offensive firepower and solid defense. Any team which is missing those two guys will suffer to a degree. Yet, with the Twins largely treading water at the moment, none of their pursuers in the American League wild card race are putting the heat on them. The Boston Red Sox have crashed and burned recently. The Detroit Tigers have entered the wild card race but lost on Monday to the Padres and still have a long way to climb. The Seattle Mariners have completely collapsed. The Kansas City Royals have lost seven games in a row after falling again to the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday. The Twins aren't soaring in the standings, and they are very unlikely at this point to catch Cleveland for the A.L. Central title, but the main objective is always to simply get into the playoffs and then reset for October. The Twins are increasingly likely to be playing in October since their wild card position is looking stronger by the day. The Twins just have to make sure they don't lose eight out of 10 games and can at least play .500 ball all the way to the end of the regular season. If they do that, it will be hard for any of their pursuers to catch them.
Twins-Rays Projected Starters
Ronny Henriquez vs. Cole Sulser
We see no real value in looking at the statistical outputs for these pitchers, since they are both spot relievers who have not pitched a lot this season, and who will not pitch more than two innings — if that — in this game. Both teams are going with an “opener” in a bullpen game. These are not starting pitchers in any meaningful sense; it's bullpen by committee for Minnesota and Tampa Bay on Wednesday night.
Here are the Twins-Rays MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Twins-Rays Odds
Minnesota Twins: -1.5 (+146)
Moneyline: -110
Tampa Bay Rays: +1.5 (-176)
Moneyline: -106
Over: 9 (-115)
Under: 9 (-105)
How to Watch Twins vs Rays
Time: 6:50 p.m. ET/3:50 p.m. PT
TV: Bally Sports North (Twins) / Bally Sports Sun (Rays) / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Twins Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Twins scored just one run on Tuesday in a loss. Chances are that Minnesota will find a way to scratch out a few more runs — at least four — in a bullpen game involving two tired pitching staffs in early September. Minnesota is a better team than Tampa Bay and — since the Rays traded Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes, among other pieces in their lineup — has a fuller lineup than the Rays despite not having Buxton and Correa available. That will be enough to win.
Why The Rays Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Twins' lack of Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa is clearly affecting their offensive output in a negative way. Teams know that as long as they don't allow Royce Lewis — the one healthy star on the Twins — to beat them, the other guys in the lineup aren't likely to do it. There's not enough protection for Lewis in the current Twins lineup. This is why Minnesota is especially vulnerable right now.
Final Twins-Rays Prediction & Pick
This game is a total coin flip with both teams going bullpen by committee. It's not a game one should feel the need to bet on. Pass.
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Final Twins-Rays Prediction & Pick: Twins moneyline
