The Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals meet Tuesday in MLB action from Busch Stadium. Here’s a St. Louis Cardinals vs Tampa Bay Rays prediction. This will be the first installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Cardinals vs Rays Pick.
Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview
This past weekend the Rays took on the Houston Astros. Tampa Bay lost 3-2 in the opener of that set, but came back to win the next pair 6-1 and 1-0 for a series victory. In the finale, Rays 2B Brandon Lowe had the lone RBI along with his two hits.
Jeffrey Springs will take the mound for the Rays on Tuesday. This year Springs has just one start, going 3.2 innings with three Ks. He’s 21-10 with a 3.42 career ERA in 139 games (31 starts).
St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview
Over on the Cardinals’ side, they played a one-off game versus the New York Mets on Monday. In that matchup the Cardinals took a 6-0 shutout loss. Starter Andre Pallante struggled through 4.2 innings with five earned runs.
Sonny Gray will take the starter role for the Cards on Tuesday. This year Gray is 10-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 20 starts. Over 299 career games (290 starts) Gray is 108-91 with a 3.49 ERA.
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the Cardinals’ last 11 night games against American League opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
- Nine of the Rays’ last 10 games against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Rays’ last five games as road underdogs against National League opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the last four games between the Rays and Cardinals.
St. Louis Cardinals Player Prop Facts
- Alec Burleson has recorded at least one RBI in seven of the Cardinals’ last eight games against AL opponents.
- Alec Burleson has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Masyn Winn has hit a home run in each of the Cardinals’ last three night games.
- Alec Burleson has recorded at least one Single in each of his last nine appearances against AL East opponents.
- Alec Burleson has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 11 appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Alec Burleson has scored at least one run in each of the Cardinals’ last six games as favorites against AL opponents.
- Masyn Winn has recorded a Double in each of the Cardinals’ last three games against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
- Sonny Gray has recorded six or more strikeouts in each of his last nine appearances against opponents that held a winning record.
- Sonny Gray has recorded a win in each of his last four appearances against AL opponents.
Tampa Bay Rays Player Prop Facts
- Yandy Diaz has recorded at least one Double in each of his last four appearances in night games against teams that held a winning record.
- Brandon Lowe has recorded at least one RBI in four of the Rays’ last five games as road underdogs.
- Yandy Diaz has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 17 appearances with the Rays as road underdogs.
- Yandy Diaz has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 17 appearances with the Rays as road underdogs.
- Brandon Lowe has scored at least one run in each of his last eight road appearances against NL opponents.
- Brandon Lowe has hit a home run in three of his last five road appearances after not playing the previous day.
- Yandy Diaz has recorded at least one Single in 10 of his last 11 appearances after not playing the previous day.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
I’ll probably lean toward the Rays. Also probably staying away, though. In his lone appearance this year Springs put up 3.2 innings with two earned on six hits and a walk in a no-decision versus the Marlins on July 30. As for Gray, he’s coming off a nice start (7.0 innings; two earned) but had 10 earned in 12.0 innings prior to that.
The Rays have scored two or fewer runs in three of their last four games, so the scoreboard should be a priority here. If all goes well on the mound however, Tampa should keep it reasonable enough to eke out a win.