The Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays meet Thursday for Opening Day. First pitch at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Tigers vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting of 2023. Rays won the season series 5-2 in 2022.
The Tigers were just so-so in Grapefruit League play during the spring, going 14-16. Spring might have been the most exciting time for Tigers fans, as the books strongly feeling Detroit won’t qualify for the postseason, with odds at +1100 to get into the playoffs.
Young Tigers 1B Spencer Torkelson is expected to be in the middle of the team’s order, behind SS Javier Baez and OF Austin Meadows in the order, but before, and after, that, Detroit fans likely can excuse themselves for a hot dog and beer and not miss much action.
The Rays won 86 games last season, but were eliminated in the wild-card round by the Cleveland Guardians. Tampa Bay has a much brighter outlook, as far as the books are concerned, with -190 odds to make the playoffs, and +1000 odds to win the American League and go to the World Series.
Tampa Bay looks to get off to a hot start against Detroit, a team it went 5-2 against last season, including 2-1 in a 3-game set at Tropicana Field May 16-18.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]
[betwidget_tipico]
Tigers at Rays projected starters
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez vs. LHP Shane McClanahan
Rodriguez (5-5, 4.05 ERA) posted a 1.33 WHIP, 3.36 BB/9 and 7.12 K/9 across 91 IP in 17 starts in 2022, his 1st season with the Tigers.
- Tore it up in spring, going 1-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 1.25 WHIP and 21 Ks in 18 1/3 IP across 5 starts
- Was pounded for 3 ER, 4 H and 2 B while retiring just 1 batter in a loss in St. Petersburg on May 18 in his only ’22 start vs. TB
McClanahan (12-8, 2.54 ERA) posted an 0.93 WHIP, 2.06 BB/9 and 10.5 K/9 across 166 1/3 IP in 28 starts in 2022, his 2nd full season in the majors.
- Sparkled in Grapefruit League spring play, going 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA across 9 2/3 IP with 10 K and a 0.72 WHIP in 3 starts
- Went 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and .204 opponent batting average (OBA), walking 0 batters and striking out 10 across 13 1/3 IP in 2022 vs. Detroit
- Was 9-5 with a 2.81 ERA, .209 OBA ad 127 K in 105 2/3 IP in 18 home starts in ’22
Tigers at Rays odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:09 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Tigers +195 (bet $100 to win $195) | Rays -230 (bet $230 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Tigers +1.5 (-125) | Rays -1.5 (+105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -122 | U: +101)
Win your fantasy baseball league with BaseballHQ.com. For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! Use the couple code SBW23 for $15 OFF a Draft Prep or full-season subscription. New customer offer; expires 4/30/2023. Subscribe today and start winning!
Tigers at Rays picks and predictions
Prediction
Rays 4, Tigers 1
Moneyline
The Rays (-230) will cost you nearly 2 1/2 times your potential return, and that’s quite costly, even with their ace on the hill against a team expected to be among the worst in the majors.
The Tigers (+195) should get a decent pitching effort from the southpaw E-Rod, so it’s best to PASS, and look to the run line instead.
Run line/Against the spread
The RAYS -1.5 (+105) is a better value play. Rodriguez will make it hard on the Tampa bats, but the Tigers +1.5 (-125) will also struggle to cobble together much offense against McClanahan. The Tigers were dead-last in 2022 with 557 runs scored, and they didn’t make any notable moves to improve the offense.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Over/Under
UNDER 6.5 (+101) is a rather low number, but expect good pitching on both sides from the southpaw starters.
Both Rodriguez and McClanahan threw up a lot of donuts in spring training, and we usually see pitching ahead of the hitting during the early going of the season.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]
For sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Plus, try out the USA TODAY Parlay Calculator and please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Additional MLB coverage:
BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball
BaseballPress.com: Your source for every MLB lineup
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]