The Tampa Bay Rays and the Minnesota Twins meet Tuesday in MLB action from Target Field. This will be game two in a three-game series this week. On Monday in the opener, the Rays secured a three-run win to strike first. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.

Tampa Bay Rays 

The Rays took on the Mariners over the weekend, winning three of the four games. In Sunday’s 6-3 victory, Tampa Bay got two RBI each from Harold Ramirez and Luke Raley. On Monday versus the Twins, the Rays jumped out to a 7-1 lead and cruised to the win 7-4. Taylor Walls (three RBI) and Yandy Diaz (four hits; two runs) each had a home run. 

In the starter slot for the Tuesday matchup, the Rays are sending out Zack Littell. In his 24 games (11 starts) in 2023 Littell is 3-5 with a 4.29 ERA and 56 Ks in 71.1 innings. Littell is 2-3 with a 3.89 ERA in his last seven starts. 

Tampa Bay Rays Team Facts

• The Rays have won four of their last five games as underdogs.
• The Rays have covered the run line each of their last seven games against teams that held a winning record.
• The Rays have led after 7 innings in each of their last five games against the Twins.
• The Rays have led after 5 innings in each of their last five games against the Twins.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Rays’ last five night games at Target Field.

Minnesota Twins

Over on the Twins’ side, they were able to win two of three from the Mets over the weekend. The loss came Sunday 2-0; in that one Minnesota had just four team hits—two from Willi Castro. In Monday’s game the Twins got a three-run homer from Royce Lewis and a solo shot from Max Kepler but it wasn’t enough. 

It’ll be Joe Ryan in the starter role for the Twins on Tuesday. This year over his 25 starts Ryan is 10-9 with a 4.21 ERA and 169 Ks in 141.0 innings. Ryan is 2-3 with a 5.82 ERA over his last seven starts, striking out 45 in 34.0 frames total. 

Minnesota Twins Team Facts

• The Twins have lost each of their last four games as favorites against AL East opponents.
• The Twins have failed to cover the run line in each of their last nine games as favorites against American League opponents following a home loss.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Twins’ last five night games.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Minnesota Twins ranks 30th in the league for strikeouts against this season (1479).
• The Minnesota Twins ranks 2nd in the league for strikeouts this season (1351).
• The Tampa Bay Rays ranks 1st in the league for home runs allowed this season (152).
• The Tampa Bay Rays ranks 1st in the league for runs allowed this season (575).

ANDREW’S FREE PICK 

I’ll stay with the Twins in this one. Ryan should be able to put up a solid outing in the start. Over his last three, Ryan is 1-1 with four earned runs in 15.0 innings on 12 hits and three walks. As for Littell, he’s coming off a nice start in a loss to Seattle (8.0 innings; one earned) but prior to that he had eight earned runs in 10.2 innings. On Monday Minnesota had a pretty rough bullpen showing with five earned in 5.0 innings. The Twins have scored four or more runs in three of their last four games though, so Ryan should have some support at the plate.