The Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles meet in MLB action from Camden Yards on Monday night.
The Tampa Bay Rays will be hoping to rebound from their series loss to Kansas City after a 4-2 loss in Sunday’s series finale. Wander Franco has 59 hits along with 5 home runs and 23 RBIs as well as a .260 batting average while Franco has 12 doubles and Randy Arozarena also has a team-high 89 hits and a team-high 21 doubles and Isaac Paredes has a team-high 13 home runs and 28 RBIs. Manuel Margot has 27 RBIs and a .302 batting average of his own and Kevin Kiermaier has 7 home runs of his own while Yandy Diaz has a .295 batting average as well on the year. Ji-Man Choi also has 41 RBIs up to this point. Corey Kluber will start here and is 6-5 with a 3.73 ERA and 82 strikeouts this season.
The Baltimore Orioles will try to bounce back themselves after a 6-0 loss at the hands of the Yankees in Sunday’s series finale. Trey Mancini has 89 hits and a .268 batting average while Anthony Santander has a team-high 16 home runs and 49 RBIs. Austin Hays also has 90 hits with 23 doubles, 46 RBIs and a .267 batting average as well on the year. Cedric Mullins also has 98 hits with 23 doubles, 7 homers and 39 RBIs as well this season. Ryan Mountcastle also has 14 home runs and 46 RBIs as well this season. Austin Voth will start here and is 1-1 with a 6.38 ERA and 41 strikeouts this season.
Tampa Bay is 8-1 in their last 9 division games and 6-2 in their last 8 games against a team with a right-handed starter while the over is 5-1 in their last 6 games overall. Baltimore is 9-2 in their last 11 home games and 4-1 in their last 5 Monday games while the over is 20-7-1 in their last 28 division games.
I get the reasoning for Tampa Bay being favored, but the Rays didn’t look all that convincing against the Kansas City Royals and I’m not looking to buy into them after that performance. On the other side, the Orioles battled hard and continued to be a pain in the Yankees butt and this is going to be a team to watch mark my words. I think this is going to be a battle but there’s too much value with the O’s as a home dog to pass on here. Give me the Orioles.