Game two of this AL East series sees the Orioles (91-55, 43-29 home) and Rays (91-57, 41-32 away) facing off at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The starting pitcher for the Orioles will be Jack Flaherty, while the Rays are turning to Zach Eflin. Find out who I like to win in this Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays showdown.

TAMPA BAY RAYS VS BALTIMORE ORIOLES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Baltimore Orioles +107

This game will be played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at 7:05 ET on Friday, September 15th.

WHY BET THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES:

  • The last five times the Orioles have been the underdog, they are 4-1.
  • So far, the Orioles are 6-4 against the Rays this season.
  • The Orioles are 2-1 in Jack Flaherty’s last five starts.

TAMPA BAY RAYS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

For the season, the Rays have put together a record of 91-57 and are 2nd in the AL East, putting them one game out of first place. Tampa Bay’s overall series record sits at 29-12-6. On the road, they have gone 41-32 and 50-25 at home.

Tampa Bay’s Zach Eflin has been impressive in 2021, boasting a 14-8 record and 3.53 ERA. On the road, he has posted a 4.54 ERA, while his home ERA is 4.01. His season-long WHIP stands at 1.05 with opposing teams managing a .237 batting average against him and a .383 slugging percentage.

The Rays earned a victory in Zach Eflin’s last outing, defeating the Mariners 6-3. In five innings, Eflin gave up seven hits and three earned runs, resulting in a win for his record.

So far this season, the Rays’ has gone deep 211 times, placing them 3rd in the league. Over Tampa Bay’s previous five games, they are 11th in runs scored, with their season average of 5.3 runs per game putting them 4th in the league. The Rays’ overall team batting average stands at .258 along with an OBP of .331.

Over the Rays’ past five contests, Yandy Díaz has been a standout performer at the plate, leading the team with one home run. For the season, he has blasted 20 long balls and holds a .323 batting average.

WILL THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Orioles will be playing their 146th game of the season today and are 1st in the AL East on a record of 91-55. So far, Baltimore has won 59.7% of their games at home compared to 64.9% on the road. Against divisional opponents, the Orioles are 28-17 and have played a total of 46 series, going 29-14-3.

Jack Flaherty has taken the mound 26 times this season, posting an 8-8 record and 4.98 ERA. His WHIP stands at 1.57 with an OBP allowed of .360, while his strikeout to walk ratio is 138/65. Notably, he has given up a home run in each of his last five appearances.

Jack Flaherty had a tough outing against the Red Sox, surrendering five runs and eight hits over 3 1/3 innings. Despite the no-decision, the Orioles emerged victorious with a 13-12 scoreline.

Offensively, Baltimore is ranked 6th in the league with an average of 5.1 runs per game. When looking over their last ten matchups, the Orioles averaged 3.8 runs per contest, which is 2nd best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, Baltimore is 14th in all of baseball, with a total of 172 home runs.

Gunnar Henderson has been the Orioles’ offensive leader over their last five games, batting .370 and collecting the most hits. Through the 2023 season, he has a .259 average and 76 RBIs.