Heading into game two of this AL East matchup, the Rays (60-40, 35-16 home) will send Zach Eflin to the mound against the Orioles (59-37, 29-17 away) and Kyle Bradish. Check out my pick for today’s Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays game in St. Petersburg.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES VS TAMPA BAY RAYS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Baltimore Orioles +134

This game will be played at Tropicana Field at 6:40 ET on Friday, July 21st.

WHY BET THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES:

  • Over their last ten games on the road, Baltimore has a straight-up record of 7-3.
  • Baltimore has the leg up over the Rays so far this year at 4-2.
  • The Orioles have gone 1-2 in Zach Eflin’s last five starts.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

For the season, the Orioles are 59-37 overall, including going 29-17 on the road and 30-20 at home. When looking at their overall series record, Baltimore is above .500 at 18-10-2. In the AL East, the Orioles are currently 1st.

Heading into today’s matchup, Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish has been on a roll, having pitched at least six innings in four consecutive games. His season stats are impressive, with an ERA of 3.06 and a record of 6-4. He has also struck out 87 batters and allowed a .348 slugging percentage. Bradish’s WHIP is 1.13 and his WOBA allowed is .283.

The Orioles earned a victory in Kyle Bradish’s last start, defeating the Marlins 5-4. The right-hander pitched 7 1/3 innings of three-hit ball, not allowing an earned run and adding a win to his record.

For the season, the Orioles’ offense is averaging 5 runs per game. Over their last ten games they have swung the bats well, sitting 5th in the league in scoring, with a total of 59 runs. Overall, Baltimore’s team batting average is .254, putting them 9th in the MLB.

The Orioles’ offensive leader, Adley Rutschman, has been a force to be reckoned with this season. He currently boasts a .274 batting average, and his slugging percentage and on-base percentage are both impressive at .431 and .373 respectively

WILL THE TAMPA BAY RAYS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Looking to snap a five game losing streak, the Rays are in 2nd place in the AL East. Tampa Bay’s overall record sits at 60-40 while going 25-24 on the road and 35-16 at home, respectively. So far, they have played in 30 series, and have gone 17-10-3.

Zach Eflin has been a reliable starter for the Rays this season, boasting an impressive 10-5 record in 18 appearances. His ERA stands at 3.59, while his K/9 is 8.97 and FIP is 3.13. Additionally, opposing batters have struggled to get on base against him, as evidenced by his .259 OBP

Zach Eflin’s last start ended in a loss for the Rays, as they fell 8-4 to the Royals. The right-hander was unable to make it through five innings, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits.

Over their last ten games, the Rays are ranked 19th in the league in scoring at 3.5 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 5.3 per contest puts them 3rd in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Tampa Bay is 6th, with an OBP currently sitting at .329. The team’s collective batting average is .258 (6th).

Over the Rays’ last five games, Josh Lowe has been on fire, leading the team with one home run. His season total stands at 13 long balls and a .274 batting average.