Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays Game 1 – 9/17/20 MLB Pick, Odds, and Prediction

The Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles meet Thursday in MLB action from Oriole Park. 

This will be the first installment of an important five-game series between these American League East teams. The Rays are coming out of a pair versus the Nationals. After winning 6-1 on Tuesday, in the Wednesday game Tampa Bay suffered a tough 10-inning loss 4-2. As for the Orioles, they just played the Braves. After splitting the first two matchups, in the Wednesday rubber match Baltimore powered out a 5-1 win to take the series 2-1. Check back all season long for free MLB picks and MLB predictions at Sports Chat Place. 

The Rays fought back from a 2-1 deficit in the bottom of the ninth to push extra innings on Wednesday, but couldn’t overcome the Nationals’ two runs in the 10th. Brandon Lowe led the Tampa Bay offense in that one with a 3-for-4 night and a solo homer. 

For the Thursday starting pitcher role, Tampa Bay will go with Blake Snell. This season in nine starts, Snell is 4-1 with a 3.23 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 39.0 innings of work. Over his MLB career, Snell is 42-29 with a 3.24 ERA and 635 Ks in 545.0 innings. 

Over on the Orioles’ side, they had a pretty good overall showing on Wednesday in the 5-1 victory over Atlanta. Austin Hays posted Baltimore’s only extra-base hit with a double, two hits and a run. Starting pitcher Keegan Akin had 5.0 innings in the win with three hits, no earned, one walk and nine strikeouts. 

In the game one starting pitcher job Thursday, the Orioles are sending Dean Kremer to the mound. Over two starts this season, Kremer is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 14 Ks in 11.0 innings. This is the 24-year-old Kremer’s first season of MLB activity. 

The Rays are 10-2 in their last 12 games following a loss and 5-1 in their last six games as a road favorite. Tampa Bay is 25-10 in their last 35 overall and 14-4 in their last 18 road games. 

Meanwhile, the Orioles are 5-1 in their last six home games and 4-1 in their last five home games versus a left-handed starter. Baltimore is 26-60 in their last 86 versus the American League East and 14-37 in their last 51 Thursday games. 

Pick: I’m going Rays. Snell has gone at least five innings in each of his last six starts, and is looking pretty darn good these days. It’s worth noting that Snell is just 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in three career starts in Baltimore, though. Kremer on the other side will be interesting as well. He’s been dominating over his first couple of starts and could give the Rays some trouble initially. Should be a fun game.