Detroit Tigers (0-1) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (1-0)
April 2, 2023 1:10 pm EDT
The Line: Tampa Bay Rays -227 / Detroit Tigers +175; Over/Under: 7
(Get latest betting odds)
The Detroit Tigers and the Tampa Bay Rays meet Sunday in MLB action from Tropicana Field. This will be the final installment in a three-game opener series. The Rays took a shutout win in the Thursday matchup, then on Saturday Tampa Bay kept it going with a blowout victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Detroit TigersÂ
The Tigers weren’t able to find much success on their six team hits in the Thursday opener of this series, eventually falling 4-0. In the Saturday game, Detroit was out-hit 13-6 in a 12-2 loss. Starter Spencer Turnbull lasted just 2.1 innings with seven earned on eight hits and three walks.
As starter for Sunday’s matchup, the Tigers are going with Joey Wentz. In seven starts over the course of his career, Wentz is 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA. Over 32.2 total innings he has 27 strikeouts and a 1.10 WHIP.
Tampa Bay RaysÂ
Over on the Tampa Bay side, they also had six team hits in the Thursday game. That said, the pitching staff did most of the work in the win. On Saturday Tampa scored seven runs in the third inning alone on the way to the win. Zach Eflin managed 5.0 innings with one earned on three hits and a walk.
Jeffrey Springs will take the mound for the starter role on Sunday. Over 33 games (25 starts) last year, Springs went 9-5 with a 2.46 ERA. In 135.1 innings total he managed 144 strikeouts. Springs has a 19-10 career record with a 3.57 ERA in 135 games (27 starts).
The Tigers are 4-10 in their last 14 Sunday games and 5-18 in their last 23 versus the AL East. Detroit is 1-4 in their last five versus a lefty starter.Â
Meanwhile, the Rays are 98-48 in their last 146 at home and 1-4 in their last five Sunday games. Tampa is 0-5 in their last five in game three of a series.Â
ANDREW’S FREE PICKÂ
I’ll probably still stay with the Rays in this one. Springs got work in four games during Spring Training this year, hitting a nice 3-0 record with a clean 0.00 ERA. Over 14.0 innings Springs had just five hits, two walks and 24 strikeouts. On Saturday Tampa Bay asserted their dominance once again and never trailed. Yandy Diaz and Wander Franco combined for six hits, four runs and five RBI by themselves, and most of the order followed along. This one probably won’t be another blowout but Tampa should be in full control.
