Tampa Bay Rays (85-69) vs. Cleveland Guardians (86-68)
September 29, 2022 6:10 pm EDT
The Line: Cleveland Guardians -111 / Tampa Bay Rays -120; Over/Under: +7.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians meet Thursday in MLB action from Progressive Field. This will be the finale in a three-game series. The Rays eked out a win in the Tuesday opener, then on Wednesday Cleveland evened it up with a lengthy victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Tampa Bay scored four runs in the fourth inning in the Tuesday opener and eventually hung on for the 6-5, 11-inning win. On Wednesday the Rays fought through a rain delay to take a 2-1 loss in 10 innings. Starter Tyler Glasnow put up 3.0 innings with one earned on two hits and a walk.
For the starter job in the Thursday game the Rays will send out Jeffrey Springs. In his 31 games (23 starts) this year Springs is 9-4 with a 2.56 ERA. In 126.1 innings he has 136 Ks.
Over on the Guardians’ side, they scored once in the bottom of the 11th Tuesday but couldn’t tie it back up. On Wednesday Cleveland came back from the weather delay to take a comeback walk-off victory. Triston McKenzie managed 6.0 innings in the start with one earned, three hits and a walk.
Cal Quantrill will take the mound for the Guardians on Thursday. Across his 30 starts this year Quantrill is 14-5 with a 3.49 ERA. In 175.1 innings he has 68 earned on 171 hits and 47 walks with 120 Ks.
The Rays are 22-8 in the last 30 Thursday games and 1-4 in their last five in game three of a series. The over is 4-0-1 in Tampa’s last four Thursday games.
Meanwhile, the Guardians are 5-0 in their last five in game three of a series and 2-5 in their last seven Thursday games. The under is 12-3-1 in Cleveland’s last 16 Thursday games.
PICK: I’m going with Tampa. We should have a good matchup here in the finale, though. Springs is coming off an up-and-down no-decision with 5.0 innings and three earned. That said, Springs put up just two earned in his previous two starts (both wins) over 11.2 innings. As for Quantrill, he’s got seven earned over his last three starts in 18.1 innings total. Should be another close one, but I like Tampa a little better.
