Miami Marlins vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 7/22/2018 Prediction & Preview
The Rays dropped the first two games of their series against the Marlins. Will they rebound on Sunday to salvage one win?
Game Snapshot & Odds
925 Miami Marlins at 926 Tampa Bay Rays; 7.5 runs
Sunday, July 22, 2018
1:10 p.m. ET, Tropicana Field
TV: MIA (FSFL); TB (FS SUN)
Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Rays as a -180 favorite. As of this writing, 74% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Rays to beat the Marlins on the moneyline.
Marlins’ Richards pitches six innings as Marlins blank Phils
Trevor Richards threw six scoreless innings Saturday as the Marlins shut out the Phillies 2-0. Richards and company kept the Phillies off balance all day, as he gave up just four hits and walked two over his six innings of work. The start was the best the 25-year-old has turned in in recent weeks, improving him to 3-5 with a 4.74 ERA and 1.55 WHIP through 13 starts overall. His next start will come after the All-Star break.
Rays’ Archer allows two runs in 4 1/3 vs. Twins
Chris Archer gave up two runs (one earned) in 4 1/3 innings and didn’t stick around long enough to get a win in a lopsided thumping of the Twins on Saturday. The Rays gave him 19 runs of support but Archer couldn’t last long enough to qualify for the win. He pitched well but was inefficient, burning 93 pitches in four-plus frames. He struck out seven, walked one and yielded five knocks — including a solo home run by Max Kepler. His record holds at 3-4 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 15 starts.
MLB Betting Trends
Miami
The Marlins have lost seven of their last 10 games played on Sunday.
Tampa Bay
The Rays have won five of Archer’s last seven starts versus a team with a losing record.
Prediction:
I don’t see the Marlins sweeping the Rays, who are underrated even though they haven’t shown it this series. The Marlins have won just six times in their last 20 attempts in the third game of a series. They’re just 20-42 in their last 61 road games versus an opponent with a winning record as well. I like the Rays on the runline.
The Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5