Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Preview
The forecast for Thursday’s Rays vs. Tigers game calls for scattered clouds and temperatures in the low to mid-60s. First pitch from Comerica Park is set for 1:10 PM ET. BSSUN is carrying this one on TV.
The Tigers are favored at -164 on the money line, and they come in with a record of 84-74, while the Rays are 78-80 overall. Tyler Alexander is starting for the Rays, and he is facing off against Reese Olson. Detroit has won four straight, and they are 3rd in the AL Central, while the Rays are 4th in the AL East.
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Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays Trends and Key Stats
- The Rays are 1-4 in their five most recent road games, including a 2-3 runline record.
- In the Tigers’ five most recent home games, their record stands at 4-1 (SU) with 4-1 against the spread.
- Over their last ten games as the favorite, the Tigers have a straight-up record of 8-2, while going 5-5 against the runline.
- Over their previous ten games as the underdog, the Rays have a straight-up record of 5-5 and a 7-3 record vs. the runline.
Detroit cruised to a 7-1 win over the Rays in the most recent game of this series. The Tigers had a huge 2nd inning, scoring two of their seven runs. As for the Rays, they scored their only run in the 3rd. Heading into the game, the Tigers were favored at -129 on the money line.
Keider Montero only went 2 2/3 innings for the Tigers but gave up just one run and one hit. He finished the game with two strikeouts but issued two walks. Sean Guenther got the win out of the bullpen. As for the Rays, Zack Littell struggled on the mound, giving up three earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings of work.
Parker Meadows and Spencer Torkelson each homered for the Tigers, while Riley Greene scored twice and drove in a run while going 2/4. Dillon Dingler also had a two-hit game at the plate.
Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
The Rays are looking to snap a two-game losing streak today, and they are 78-80 overall, putting them 4th in the AL East. Currently, they trail the Yankees by 14 games in the division. So far, they have gone 24-25 in AL East matchups.
Tampa Bay has an overall series record of 24-19-7 and have won two straight series. At home, they are 42-39 compared to 36-41 on the road. As the underdog, the Rays are 41-49 this year, and they are 37-31 when favored. Tampa Bay’s road losing streak has reached four games, and they are 5-5 over their last 10 games overall.
When the Tampa Bay Rays are on the road, they are 44-33 against the run line. Their average run differential is -0.5 runs per game, and their average run differential in winning games is +2.7 runs per game. They are 57-33 against the run line as the underdog.
The Tampa Bay Rays are on the road today to face the Detroit Tigers. The over/under line is set at 7.5 runs, which is below their season average of 8 runs per game. The Rays have played in 88 games with higher over/under lines than 7.5 runs, which accounts for 55.7% of their games this season.
Tyler Alexander gets the start for the Rays today as he faces the Tigers on the road. So far this season, he has made 22 appearances and eight starts. Alexander’s record for the season is 6-5, and he comes in with an ERA of 5.35. Looking at his overall numbers, Alexander has a WHIP of 1.27 and has allowed a total of 23 home runs. Per nine innings, he is averaging 7.36 strikeouts and just 2.1 walks. The left-hander’s most recent outing came on September 20th, where he finished with a no-decision, going 4 1/3 innings and not allowing a run. Before that, he had given up at least one homer in three straight outings.
For the season, the Rays are averaging just 3.7 runs per game, which is 29th in the league. This is also where they are at in terms of home runs, as they have just 146 homers. As a team, they are batting just .230, and their on-base percentage of .303 is also near the bottom of the league.
Yandy Diaz has been the Rays’ best hitter this season, batting .282 with 14 homers and 65 RBIs. Christopher Morel and Brandon Lowe are tied for the team lead in homers, but Morel is batting just .195, while Lowe is at .239. Jose Siri has also struggled this season, coming into the game with a batting average of just .190.
Detroit is 84-74 overall, and they have won four straight games, and they are 8-2 over their last 10. The Tigers are 7.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central, and they are 27-22 against other teams in the division. Detroit has won three straight games at home, and they are 41-36 at home this year.
As the home favorite, the Tigers are 25-18 this year and 38-24 as the favorite overall. Detroit’s series record is 25-20-5 this year, and they have won five straight series. They have also won three straight series on the road.
When betting the run line on the Detroit Tigers, it’s been a good idea to take them on the road, as they’re 51-30 against the run line away from home. They’ve been a better team to bet against the run line when they’re the underdog, as they’re 62-34 in those games. Their average run margin in winning games is 3.5 runs, while it’s -3.4 runs in losses.
The Detroit Tigers have an over/under record of 77-76 this season, with an average combined run average of 8.2 runs per game. Their games have had an average over/under line of 8 runs, and when the line has been set at 7.5 runs, their record is 22-18. Overall, 62.7% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 7.5 runs, with 99 games having lines higher than that mark.
Detroit is sending right-hander Reese Olson to the mound today vs. the Rays. He has made 21 starts this year and has a record of 4-8 with an ERA of 3.49. So far, opponents are batting .234 off Olsen, and he has a WHIP of 1.19. Olsen’s last outing came on September 21st, where he finished with a no-decision. In that start vs. the Orioles, he went three innings and gave up one earned run on three hits. Before that, he had given up at least one homer in three straight outings. Olsen’s ERA on the road is 4.03 compared to 4.35 at home.
Heading into today’s game, the Tigers are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 18th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 4.3 runs per contest. As a team, the Tigers are batting just .235, which is 17th in the league, and their collective on-base percentage of .299 is also below average.
Riley Greene comes into the game with a team-high 73 RBIs and is also leading the Tigers with 24 home runs. Greene has gone 8/30 in his last seven games, with one home run and five runs scored. Kerry Carpenter has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 5/17 in his last seven games with two homers.
Our pick for this Rays vs. Tigers matchup is to take the Rays on the money line, with the payout sitting at +139. Our predicted final score is 6-5 in favor of the Rays, giving us some wiggle room with the over/under line, which is currently at 7.5 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Tyler Alexander is projected to finish with five strikeouts, which is the fifth-lowest among all starters. As for Reese Olson, he is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and we have him ending the game with a 4.50 ERA.
Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Tips
- We like the Rays on the moneyline (+139)
- The Rays are also our pick on the spread at +1.5
- Projecting a combined 11 runs, we like the over
Detroit Tigers Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Javier Báez | Out | Back/Hip |
| Alex Faedo | Out | Shoulder |
| Brendan White | Out | Elbow |
| Sawyer Gipson-Long | Out | Elbow |
Tampa Bay Rays Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Wander Franco | Out | Personal |
| Jeffrey Springs | Out | Elbow |
| Shane McClanahan | Out | Elbow |
| Jacob Waguespack | Out | Shoulder |
| Pete Fairbanks | Out | Lat |
