The Atlanta Braves (59-28) and Tampa Bay Rays (57-34) meet Saturday for Game 2 of a 3-game series. First pitch from Tropicana Field is set for 7:15 p.m. ET (FOX). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Braves vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Braves lead 1-0
Atlanta won 2-1 as -103 road favorites in Game 1 of this series Friday. Tampa Bay started the game out hot with a solo home run in the 1st inning and held that 1-0 lead until the 4th inning. During that inning, C Sean Murphy hit a 2-run home run to give the Braves the lead and ultimately score the only runs for Atlanta during that game. SP Charlie Morton pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing only 1 run and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts.
The Braves have now won back-to-back games and now sit at 11-1 in their last 12 overall. The Rays have dropped each of their last 6 straight games, including 4 straight home losses. Tampa Bay sits at 34-14 at home on the year while Atlanta sits at 29-13 on the road.
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Braves at Rays projected starters
RHP Spencer Strider vs. RHP Taj Bradley
Strider (10-2, 3.66 ERA) makes his 18th start. He has a 1.11 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9 and 14.2 K/9 through 98 1/3 IP.
- Last outing: Win, 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 9 K in a 6-3 home win Sunday vs. Miami Marlins
- Leads MLB with 155 K’s
- First career start vs. Tampa Bay
Bradley (5-4, 5.27 ERA) makes his 13th start. He has a 1.39 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 12.1 K/9 through 56 1/3 IP.
- Last outing: No-decision, 3 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 3 K in a 7-6 road loss Sunday vs. Seattle Mariners
- 3-2 with a 5.70 ERA, 1.27 WHIP in 5 home starts; 2-2, 4.96 ERA, 1.47 WHIP in 7 road starts
- First career start vs. Atlanta
Braves at Rays odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:45 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Braves -150 (bet $150 to win $100) | Rays +125 (bet $100 to win $125)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Braves -1.5 (+110) | Rays +1.5 (-135)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Braves at Rays picks and predictions
Prediction
Braves 6, Rays 5
Moneyline
BET BRAVES (-150).
The Braves are so much hotter than Tampa Bay, and all trends suggest that the Braves should win this game. The Braves are 9-1 in their last 10 overall while the Rays are 3-7 in their last 10. The Braves are also 5-0 in Strider’s last 5 starts; whereas the Rays are 2-3 in Bradley’s last 5 starts, including back-to-back losses.
Run line/Against the spread
LEAN RAYS +1.5 (-135).
The Rays are the much colder team but are still one of the best teams in the league. Both teams are evenly matched as they are 5-5 in the last 10 Atlanta-Tampa Bay meetings, and the last game finished with a 1-run margin. I don’t see this game being a blowout.
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Over/Under
LEAN OVER 8.5 (-105).
For Atlanta the Over is 3-2 in Strider’s last 5 starts, and for Tampa Bay, the Over has hit in 3-straight Bradley starts and 4 of his last 5 starts overall. The Over is also 7-3 in the last 10 matchups overall and 4-2 in the last 6 meetings overall.
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