Pittsburgh Pirates (1-4) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (3-1)
April 1, 2025 7:05 pm EDT
The Line: Tampa Bay Rays -154 / Pittsburgh Pirates +130; Over/Under: 8.5
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In this article, we will formulate a Rays vs Pirates Prediction for this MLB game on Tuesday, April 1st, at George M Steinbrenner Field. Let’s take a look at a Tampa Bay Rays vs Pittsburgh Pirates pick.
Slow Start for the Pirates
It’s a slow start for the Pirates, and on Monday, they looked awful again. The Pirates scored only one run, and they ended up losing by five runs. Camren Mlodzinski went 3.2 innings, giving up seven hits and four RBIs. The pitching was bad, but the biggest issue was the offense that scored only one run. On Sunday, against the Miami Marlins, the Pirates scored only two runs, and they ended up losing by a run.
In the only win, the Pirates scored four runs, and they haven’t scored more than that in any of the games this season. At the time of the article, the Pirates hadn’t announced a pitcher, but the bigger question has to be the offense. If they want to find success, they are going to need to find a way to get the offense going here.
Strong Start for the Rays
It’s been a strong start for the Rays, and they come into this game with a 3-1 record. On Monday, the Pirates scored six runs, and that included four runs in the 4th inning to help pace the offense. Right fielder Jake Mangum had a strong game, finishing with four hits and two RBIs. Drew Rasmussen was on the mound, and he went five innings, giving up two hits and zero runs. The only loss for the Rays came on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, and even in that game, they gave up only two runs.
Shane Baz is getting the start for the Rays, and this will be his first start of the season. Last season with the Rays, he finished with a 4-3 record and an ERA of 3.06. He actually had a lower ERA on the road, but at home, he did have an ERA of 3.31. The Rays will face the Rangers following this series.
Why the Rays Will Beat the Pirates
- The Pirates have lost 13 of their last 14 night games against AL East opponents following a road loss.
- The Rays have won nine of their last 10 games against the Pirates.
- The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in nine of their last 10 night games against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
- The Rays have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in eight of their last 10 night games against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
Tampa Bay Rays vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
The Rays’ pitching has been quite impressive heading into this game, and the success is going to continue here. Shane Baz was really good last season for the Rays, and he’s going to dominate again here. The Pirates might be a little better this season, but I am still not sold on the offense. They haven’t scored more than four runs in a season yet, and I don’t think they even get to three runs here. The Rays are going to pick up another win, and it will happen on the run line.
