The Los Angeles Dodgers (31-21) play the middle game of a 3-game interleague series with the Tampa Bay Rays (38-15) Saturday at Tropicana Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Dodgers vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Rays lead series 1-0
Los Angeles kicked off this interleague series by laying an egg in a 9-3 loss Friday. The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, but that’s the only time they found themselves on top. The Rays scored 2 runs in the 1st, 2 in the 2nd, and 1 more in each of the 3rd and 4th innings to take a 6-2 lead. Tampa never looked back, taking the 1st installment of this rematch of the 2020 World Series.
The Dodgers have dropped back-to-back games, and L.A. is just 3-5 in the first 8 games of a 10-game road trip. The last time L.A. dropped 3 straight was back on April 7-9 at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Rays received a wake-up call Tuesday when they were spanked 20-1 by the Toronto Blue Jays. Tampa Bay has rattled off 3 straight wins since, outscoring the opposition 22-9 and cashing the run line in each outing as a favorite. The Over has connected in 7 in a row for the Rays.
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Dodgers at Rays projected starters
LHP Clayton Kershaw vs. RHP Tyler Glasnow
Kershaw (6-4, 2.98 ERA) makes his 11th start. He has a 1.10 WHIP, 2.2 BB/9 and 10.8 K/9 in 57 1/3 innings.
- Last start: Loss, 3 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K in a 10-5 road loss vs. the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday
- 2023 Road splits: 3-3, 4.32 ERA (33 1/3 IP, 16 ER) with a .258 opponent batting average (OBA) in 6 starts
Glasnow (0-0, 1.35 ERA in 2022) makes his season debut. He had a 0.67 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 13.5 K/9 in 6 2/3 IP innings in 2 regular-season starts in 2022.
- Making just his 3rd start since June 14, 2021, after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
- Hasn’t pitched this season due to an oblique injury suffered in spring training
- Allowed 10 ER on 9 H (3 HR) and 9 BB with 15 K across 9 1/3 IP in 2 starts against the Dodgers in the 2020 World Series, both outings opposite of Kershaw
Dodgers 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 5:44 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Dodgers -105 (bet $105 to win $100) | Rays -115 (bet $115 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Dodgers -1.5 (+155) | Rays +1.5 (-190)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Dodgers at Rays picks and predictions
Prediction
Rays 4, Dodgers 2
Moneyline
The RAYS (-115) are the play, although it’s a good idea to go lightly on the home side with Glasnow making his season debut. He isn’t likely to pitch much deeper than the 67 pitches he tossed in his final rehab start and that’s when it gets interesting. Tampa Bay’s bullpen has a 4.56 ERA, 25th in MLB.
Still, Kershaw has struggled in May, going 1-3 with a 5.12 ERA in 4 outings, while posting just a single quality start.
Run line/Against the spread
The RAYS -1.5 (+170) are worth a roll of the dice on the alternate run line.
Tampa Bay has won 3 in a row, covering the run line as a favorite in each of the outings. That includes Friday’s 9-3 series-opening win.
The Dodgers are slight underdogs here, and L.A. is 2-4 straight up as a ‘dog while going 4-2 on the run line. Stick with Tampa, but again, go lightly.
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Over/Under
The UNDER 8 (-115) is the play, although the Over has been hot for each of these teams lately.
The Over is 5-1 in the past 6 games overall for Los Angeles while cashing in 7 in a row for Tampa Bay. However, this is a solid pitching matchup if both hurlers toss to their capabilities. I think we see a lower-scoring game under the roof.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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