The Washington Nationals will host the Tampa Bay Rays for a short two-game series set to begin on Tuesday night. It’s time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Rays-Nationals prediction and pick.
Washington is roaring back into the NL East race with wins in seven of its last nine games to date. The Nationals have bounced back from a horrible start to the season and now trail the New York Mets by just three games. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, has been struggling of late and has slipped to second place in the AL East standings.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the Rays-Nationals odds.
MLB Odds: Rays-Nationals Odds
Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (+155)
Washington Nationals +1.5 (-175)
Over 9.5 Runs (-105)
Under 9.5 Runs (-115)
Why The Rays Could Cover The Spread
The Rays are 47-32 but struggled a bit recently with seven straight losses. They followed that up with four straight wins against the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels before losing their last game against the Angels.
Despite the recent losing streak, the Rays are one of the most complete teams in the league this season. Although they have the 25th-best team batting average, the Rays are scoring an impressive 4.91 runs per game, which is good for seventh in the majors. The pitching staff has the sixth-best team ERA, and they have the most defensive runs saved by a mile this season. The Rays are able to win in several different ways, which makes them a threat to win a ballgame every single time they take the field.
Tampa Bay will turn to veteran left-hander Rich Hill for the series opener. Hill is putting together yet another great season with a 6-2 record and 3.52 ERA through 15 starts. The crafty southpaw has been incredible over his last seven starts with a 4-1 record and 2.79 ERA through 38 2/3 innings of work. Hill is 3-0 with a 3.55 ERA through seven road starts this season as well.
Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
The Nationals have come all the way back to reach the .500 mark with a 38-38 record, which leaves them just three games behind the Mets in the NL East. They defeated New York in a makeup game on Monday, which was their 12th victory in their last 15 games. Washington has won eight of its last nine home games as well.
The Nationals have thankfully started to wake up at the plate after a woeful start. The lack of timely hitting has been apparent given they're seven in batting average at .249. Kyle Schwarber is finally providing the power that the Nats were hoping for when they acquired him in the offseason. Schwarber has 15 home runs in the month of June and 24 on the season.
Washington will turn to right-hander Joe Ross for the series opener. Ross has been as expected with a 4-7 record and 4.12 ERA through 14 starts this season. He has turned a corner with a 2.56 ERA over his last seven starts, though. Ross tossed at least seven runs of scoreless ball in two of his last three starts.
Final Rays-Nationals Prediction & Pick
The Nationals seem to be returning to form very quickly. They are surging at the perfect time, and this run looks a lot like the run that the 2019 Nationals went on around this time of the season. With that being said, they're going up against a different animal in the Rays. The defending American League champions will consistently bring a different style of play to the field, but one that is sustainable and very difficult to beat. Veteran left-hander Rich Hill will head to the mound with great composure and help the Rays continue to get back on track.
FINAL PICK: Tampa Bay Rays ML (+101)