The Tampa Bay Rays (47-33) will look to salvage a split in their two-game series with the Washington Nationals (39-38) Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET at Nationals Park. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Rays vs. Nationals odds with MLB picks and predictions.
RHP Michael Wacha is the projected starting pitcher for the Rays. He is 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 7.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 48 1/3 IP over nine starts and four relief appearances.
Since starting the year with 20 K in 15 IP over his first three starts, the whiffs have been lacking for Wacha. He has since recorded just 19 K in 33 1/3 IP, though he’s coming off a start in which he had 7 K and allowed just 1 hit in 5 scoreless innings against Boston.
LHP Jon Lester is the projected starting pitcher for the Nationals. He is 1-3 with a 4.99 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 6.2 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 52 1/3 IP over 11 starts.
Lester recently had a run in which he allowed 2 or fewer earned runs in five straight starts, though he averaged slightly less than 5 IP per outing (24 2/3 total). He followed up that streak with a disaster in Miami last time out when he surrendered 7 ER in 2 1/3 IP.
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Rays at Nationals odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:16 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Rays -120 (bet $120 to win $100) | Nationals +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Rays -1.5 (+125) | Nationals +1.5 (-155)
- Over/Under: 10 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Prediction
Rays 7, Nationals 4
Money line (ML)
The Rays are scoring the second-most runs per game on the road this season. While they tend to strike out a lot, Lester may not be able to exploit that weakness as he has whiffed more than three batters just once in his last six starts.
Wacha hasn’t displayed great skills either and is facing a team that has won 13 of their last 16 games. However, the Washington offense still ranks 29th in runs per game at home, and Wacha looks like a better bet for success than his counterpart. Take the RAYS (-120).
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Lester simply isn’t a very good pitcher at this stage of his career. In fact, dating back to last season, he has allowed 5 or more earned runs eight times in his last 20 starts. Even though the Washington offense is likely to make some noise as well, the RAYS -1.5 (+125) should win this game by multiple runs.
Over/Under (O/U)
Both offenses should have success in this game against pitchers who have displayed marginal skills to this point. Take OVER 10 (-110) before the total moves any higher.
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