A premier American League showdown is on tap for Saturday night as the Tampa Bay Rays square off with the Houston Astros for game two of the series. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Rays-Astros prediction and pick will be revealed.
With the AL playoff field officially set after the Rays were able to clinch a postseason berth in their 7-3 win over the Astros yesterday, Tampa Bay will now look to move past the Mariners and the Blue Jays before the conclusion of the regular season. As it stands, the Rays trail the top spot by only two games. Getting the start in this one will be their ace in lefty Shane McClanahan, who is 12-7 with a 2.51 ERA.
In a battle to secure the top overall seed in baseball, the Astros will look to avenge a 7-3 loss to the Rays on Friday which served as only their 25th home loss of the season. Despite back-to-back losses, Houston has won seven of their previous eleven games and is determined to get back on track. The Astros will call upon one of their better pitchers in RHP Cristian Javier, who is 10-9 with a 2.65 ERA.
Here are the Rays-Astros MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Rays-Astros Odds
Tampa Bay Rays: +1.5 (-170)
Houston Astros: -1.5 (+140)
Over: 6.5 (-115)
Under: 6.5 (-105)
Why The Rays Could Cover The Spread
After generating more than enough offense to down the Astros in their game-one tilt, Tampa Bay will try to replicate the same approach, especially with the hope that their starter in McClanahan can keep Houston off of the scoreboard. Certainly, it hasn't been an easy road for the Rays during the 2022 season as they have overcome a slew of injuries to be one of the final teams standing in the American League.
When it comes to covering the spread for the second consecutive night, it will be vital for Tampa Bay to see a pitch or two and remain patient when going up against Javier. Thus far, the Rays have limped their way to a 35-41 record on the road but have shown a spark offensively that gives Tampa Bay fans hope that they can secure a spread-covering victory. As a whole, the Rays have been pedestrian on offense for the majority of the season but have posted a respectable .241 batting average which currently ranks as the 16th-best mark in the majors.
With that being said, this team's bread and butter come from the arms within the roster. Without a doubt, the Rays pitching prowess is a huge reason why Tampa Bay has paved their way to another playoff appearance. If the Rays are wanting to bolster where they sit within the Wild card race in comparison to the rest of the playoff-worthy squads, then it is a must that McClanahan is on his game later this evening. Since the All-Star break, McClanahan has struggled mightily with a 2-4 record to go along with a 4.26 ERA in nine starts.
Why The Astros Could Cover The Spread
In a battle with the Dodgers for the best overall record in all of baseball, the mini-two-game slide that the Astros are currently enduring isn't helping their case. No question, Houston is one of a select few of teams that have a legit chance to bring home a World Series trophy, so it is more important than some would think to finish the regular season strong by possibly clinching home-field advantage throughout.
For starters, Houston must take it one game at a time with the five contests remaining on the scheduled slate starting tonight at home versus Tampa Bay. Not only that, but this matchup could end up being a future postseason showdown if the Rays can survive the Wild Card round and advance. Because of this, the Astros need to win, and covering the spread is as important as ever.
One thing the Astros struggled with in the 7-3 defeat on Friday was the fact that they went ice cold for a prolonged amount of time at the plate. This was quite uncharacteristic of what the ‘Stros have shown all season long, as Houston has been one of the more lethal hitting squads in the majors. Be on the lookout for designated hitter Yordan Alvarez to continue his torrid season on offense as he is raking .305 with a whopping 37 home runs and 96 RBIs.
Not to mention, but Houston will combat McClanahan with a disgusting pitcher of their own in Cristian Javier, whose pitching arsenal is one of the dirtiest that a major league hitter will face all season long. Against the Rays, Javier is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two career starts. Javier has also accumulated three straight scoreless starts and should provide the Astros with a tremendous chance to cover the spread.
Final Rays-Astros Prediction & Pick
Even though both franchises have punched their ticket to the postseason, this matchup still has major implications when it comes to seeding. After the Rays looked the part yesterday, expect them to silence the Astros the bats, and the offense to do just enough for them to prevail.
Final Rays-Astros Prediction & Pick: Rays +1.5 (-170)
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