Atlanta Braves vs Tampa Bay Rays Preview
At 7:20 PM ET, the Braves and Rays face off in an interleague matchup. This one is being played at Truist Park in Atlanta, and the Braves are the heavy favorites on the money line (-212). The money line odds for the Rays are sitting at +178, and they are 5th in the AL East, while the Braves are 2nd in the NL East.
Friday’s forecast in Atlanta calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid 90s. Chris Sale will be on the mound for the Braves, while the Rays are starting Zack Littell. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and the game can be seen on BSSUN.
Check out BetCoco for Atlanta Braves – Tampa Bay Rays odds
Atlanta Braves Trends and Key Stats
- The Rays are 3-2 in their five most recent road games, including a 3-2 runline record.
- On the opposing side, the Braves have a 1-4 (SU) record, along with a 1-4 record in their last five home contests.
- Over their last ten games when playing as the favorite, the Braves have won 4-6 straight-up, and have a 4-6 record vs. the runline.
- Over their previous ten games as the underdog, the Rays have a straight-up record of 2-8 and a 3-7 record vs. the runline.
Atlanta Braves vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
Heading into their last game vs. the Cubs, the Rays closed out the series with a 3-2 win. Leading up to the game, they were the slight favorite at -106 on the money line. It was a good day for the Rays offense, as they scored their three runs on seven hits and didn’t hit a home run.
Taj Bradley put together a good start for the Rays, going seven innings and not giving up a run. He also issued just two walks and struck out 11 Cubs batters. Yandy Diaz was hot at the plate, going 2/4 with a run scored and driving in one run. The Rays also had three other players with a hit.
Tampa Bay is 33-36 overall and trails the Yankees by 15 games in the AL East. The Rays are 5th in the division and have gone 10-17 against other AL East teams. They kick off their series vs. the Braves on the road, and they are 14-13 on the road this year.
As the road team today, the Rays have an overall record of 7-7 as the underdog. They have been good as the favorite, going 21-20 and are coming off winning their series vs. the Cubs. Tampa Bay’s overall series record is 10-10-2 this year.
When the Rays are on the road, they are 15-12 against the run line. They have covered the run line in three straight road games. When they are the favorite, they are just 14-27 against the run line. Their average run differential in wins is +2.3, but in losses, it is -3.8.
The Tampa Bay Rays are on the road today against the Atlanta Braves, with the over/under line set at 8.5 runs. The Rays have a combined run average of 8.6 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 34-33. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, their record is 9-12. Overall, 59.4% of their games have had lower over/under lines than 8.5 runs, and they have hit the under in their last three games.
Tampa Bay is sending right-hander Zack Littell to the mound today as he faces the Braves on the road. Littell has made 13 starts this season and has a record of 2-4 with a 3.63 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Littell has a WHIP of 1.29 and has given up a total of eight home runs. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had gone three straight outings without giving up a homer. Littell has allowed at least one homer in six of his 13 starts.
Yandy Diaz is currently on a seven-game hitting streak for the Rays and is batting .260 for the season. Over his last nine games, he has gone 14/39. Isaac Paredes is leading the team in home runs and RBIs, with 10 and 38, respectively, while batting .286. However, he is just 5/29 in his last eight games. Randy Arozarena is also struggling at the plate, with a batting average of just .171.
As a team, the Rays are 26th in the league in scoring at 3.9 runs per game. They have been even worse at home, averaging just 3.7 runs per contest. Overall, they are the league’s worst home run-hitting team and have a collective batting average of .232.
Ozzie Albies had a big game at the plate in the Braves’s 6-3 win over the Orioles to close out their series. He went 4/5 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a run scored. The Braves really got things going with a two-run 1st inning and added another run in the 4th. After the Orioles tied things up with a three-run 7th, the Braves scored an additional two runs in the top of the 9th to pick up the win.
Reynaldo Lopez put together a good start for the Braves, going six innings and not giving up a run. He also issued just one walk and struck out eight Orioles batters. Atlanta’s bullpen nearly gave up the lead, but Raisel Iglesias was able to close things out in the 9th.
With a record of 36-30, the Braves are nine games behind the Phillies for the NL East lead. Atlanta lost two out of three games to the Orioles in their most recent series. So far, they have gone 12-11 in divisional games this year.
At home, the Braves are 19-12 this season compared to 17-18 on the road. As the favorite, the Braves are 34-25 this year and just 2-5 as the underdog. The team’s overall series record is 12-8-2, and they lost two straight series before this one, which is just getting started today. So far, they have been the home favorite 19 times, and they have won all of those games.
When the Braves are the underdog, they have been a good bet against the run line, going 4-3. They have been a bad bet when favored, as they are 28-31 vs. the run line. The Braves’ average run differential this season is +0.4 runs per game.
Atlanta has played in 46 games this season, and the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs in 28 of them. Their games have averaged 8.3 runs per game, and their over/under record is 23-40. When the line is set at 8.5 runs, their over/under record is 6-14. The average over/under line for their games this season is 9 runs per game.
Chris Sale will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing as he gets the start for the Braves today. In his most recent outing, he took the loss and gave up two earned runs in seven innings of work. Against the Nationals, he gave up five hits and issued one walk. Looking back over his last four starts, Sale has allowed a total of three home runs. Overall, he has given up six homers this season. Sale’s ERA for the season is 3.01, along with a record of 8-2. At home, he is 6-0 with a 3.79 ERA.
Marcell Ozuna comes into the game as one of the league’s top power hitters, as his 18 home runs are 4th in the MLB and the best mark on the Braves. He is also 2nd in the league with 57 RBIs. Ozuna has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 10/24 in his last six games. Matt Olson has also been a consistent power threat for the Braves, as his 10 homers are 2nd on the team and 11th in the league. Olson is also on a seven-game hitting streak.
Overall, the Braves are 14th in the league in scoring at 4.3 runs per game. They have been a good home run hitting team this season, but their team batting average of .243 is just 11th in the league. As a team, the Braves are batting a collective .243, which is 11th in the league.
Our prediction for this Rays vs. Braves matchup is to take the Rays on the money line, with the payout sitting at +178. We have the Rays winning this one by a score of 5-4. If you’re looking for a parlay option, you could also look to take the under, as the line is sitting at 8.5 runs, and we have this one finishing with nine runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Chris Sale finishing with eight strikeouts compared to Zack Littell with just four. Sale is also projected to go six innings, while Littell is predicted to go just five. Offensively, we have the Rays finishing with nine hits compared to the Braves with eight.
Atlanta Braves vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Tips
- We like the Rays on the moneyline (+178)
- The Rays are also our pick on the spread at +1.5
- Projecting a combined 9 runs, we like the over
Atlanta Braves Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Matzek | Out | Elbow |
| A.J. Minter | Out | Hip |
| Ronald Acuña Jr. | Out | Knee |
| Angel Perdomo | Out | Elbow |
| Jimmy Herget | Out | Shoulder |
| Spencer Strider | Out | Elbow |
| AJ Smith-Shawver | Out | Oblique |
Tampa Bay Rays Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Wander Franco | Out | Personal |
| Drew Rasmussen | Out | Arm |
| Richard Lovelady | Out | Forearm |
| Jeffrey Springs | Out | Elbow |
| Shane McClanahan | Out | Elbow |
| Jacob Waguespack | Out | Shoulder |
