Rays vs. Orioles Friday Prediction
After covering on the runline despite losing on Thursday night, will the Baltimore Orioles also cover against the Tampa Bay Rays at 7:05 p.m. ET on Friday?
Game Snapshot & Odds
967 Tampa Bay Rays (-154) at 968 Baltimore Orioles (+136); 8.5 runs
Friday, July 27, 2018
7:05 p.m. ET, Oriole Park at Camden Yards
TV: TB (FS SUN); BAL (MSN2)
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Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Rays as a -154 favorite. As of this writing, 75% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Rays to beat the Orioles on the moneyline. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Rays’ Archer posts season-high 13 strikeouts
Chris Archer struck out a season-high 13 batters, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits over six innings, but came away with a no-decision in the Rays’ 6-4 win over the Marlins on Sunday. Archer looked crisp early on, striking out the side in the first inning in his third start since coming off the disabled list for an abdominal strain. He then immediately ran into trouble, allowing four runs on four hits in the ensuing frame. Miguel Rojas opened the floodgates with a bases-loaded, two-run double to right field. Three runs ended up scoring on the play as a result of a throwing error by Carlos Gomez. Rojas eventually came around to score on an RBI single from Bryan Holaday.
Archer was virtually unhittable from that point on, retiring 14 of the final 19 batters he faced, racking up 10 strikeouts during that stretch. He threw 76 of 101 pitches for strikes and did not walk a batter. A prime candidate to be moved at the July 31 trade deadline, the 29-year-old right-hander is striking out over a batter per inning for the fourth consecutive year, but remains a little lackluster in the run prevention department.
Orioles’ Cashner pitches well in return from DL
Andrew Cashner looked good in his return from the disabled list Sunday but had to settle for a no-decision after allowing just one run over 5 2/3 frames. Cashner missed the last week and a half with a strained neck and didn’t make a rehab start, but he didn’t show any rust in this one in yielding six hits and one walk while fanning a couple. The veteran right-hander boasts a 3.52 ERA since the beginning of June, although he’s struck out just 29 over 46 innings. He’ll remain a pretty unappealing streaming option next weekend against the Rays.
MLB Betting Trends
Tampa Bay
The Rays are 9-4 in their last 13 games versus the Orioles.
Baltimore
The Orioles are just 1-4 in Cashner’s last five starts.
Prediction:
The Rays have had plenty of success against the Orioles but are just 1-5 in Archer’s last six road outings versus Baltimore. The Rays are also just 7-17 in their last 24 road games, are 3-7 in Archer’s last 10 starts coming off four days of rest, and are a brutal 9-23 in his last 32 outings versus American League East opponents. I like the Orioles to keep it close on the runline.
The Pick: Baltimore Orioles +1.5 (-125)