Tampa Bay Rays vs Arizona Diamondbacks Picks and Predictions August 17th 2024

From Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, we have an interleague matchup between the Diamondbacks and Rays. First pitch on Saturday is set for 4:10 PM ET. MLBN is carrying this game on TV.

Arizona is 69-54 this season, which has them 2nd in the NL West, while the Rays are 60-61 and 4th in the AL East. Jeffrey Springs is starting for the Rays, and he is facing off against Zac Gallen for the Diamondbacks. Arizona is the slight money line favorite, and the over/under line is at 7.5 runs.

Arizona vs. Tampa Bay Key Information

Right-hander Zac Gallen gets the start for the Diamondbacks today as he faces the Rays on the road. He has made 20 starts this season and has a record of 9-5 with a 3.69 ERA. Gallen’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.28. Looking at his overall numbers, Gallen has turned in nine quality starts and is averaging 8.49 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in 4 1/3 innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts.

Arizona comes into the game as the league’s top-scoring team, averaging 5.3 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.5 runs per game. The Diamondbacks are also near the top of the league in a number of other offensive categories, including team batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Arizona’s offense has also done a good job of avoiding strikeouts, as they are 7th in the league in this category.

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Christian Walker and Ketel Marte have been the team’s top power threats this season, with Marte leading the team with 30 home runs and Walker at 23. Marte’s 81 RBIs are also the best mark on the team, and 9th in the league. Jake McCarthy and Corbin Carroll have been swinging the bat well of late, with McCarthy hitting .500 over his last five games and Carroll batting .263 with two homers.

Jeffrey Springs is getting the start for the Rays at home against the Diamondbacks. Springs has made 3 starts this season, and he is coming off a 5 inning outing vs. the Orioles in which he struck out 8 batters and gave up just 1 earned run. However, he took the loss in his first start of the year vs. the Cardinals.

For the season, the Rays are averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. They have been even worse at home, averaging only 3.6 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .232 and have the 23rd ranked home run total in the league.

Yandy Diaz comes into the game on a three-game hitting streak and is 2nd on the team with a batting average of .269. He also has 10 homers and 52 RBIs. Christopher Morel is the team’s home run leader with 20, but he is batting just .191. Over his last 10 games, Jose Caballero is batting .296, and Brandon Lowe has really struggled of late, going 5/38 in his last nine games.

Despite this one being the 5th lowest projected scoring game of the day, we are actually leaning towards taking the over. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we like the Diamondbacks to come out on top. Looking at today’s starters, we see Zac Gallen having the 5th best strikeout projection compared to Jeffrey Springs, who is 20th among today’s starters.

Rays’ Jeffrey Springs Seeks First Win of 2024 Against Red-Hot Diamondbacks

Jeffrey Springs proceeds with his process back to top structure as he takes the hill for the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks in St. Petersburg, Florida. In the wake of getting back from Tommy John medical procedure, Springs is gradually tracking down his mood, and the Rays are trusting that his fourth beginning of the time will stamp his most memorable success of 2024.

Rays Look to Build on Dramatic Win

The Rays figured out how to break their three-game series of failures in emotional style on Friday night, getting a 5-4 walk-off triumph over the Diamondbacks. The game finished in an outright exhilarating way when Jonny DeLuca scored from a respectable starting point on a solitary by Brandon Lowe that diverted off the hill and was misused by Arizona’s safeguard, allowing the triumphant rush to cross the plate.

This victory was a much-needed boost for Tampa Bay, which has struggled recently, winning just three of their last ten games. Despite their position in the wild-card standings being less than ideal, the Rays showed resilience.

“I think we were all willing him (to score),” Lowe said of DeLuca’s game-winning run. “It just shows you what we are as a team. It would be really easy to roll over and quit.”

Springs’ Progression in 2024

Jeffrey Springs (0-1, 4.61 ERA) is still seeking his first win of the year as he continues to work his way back into form after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2023. His return has been steady, with each of his three starts showing improvement. In his most recent outing against the Baltimore Orioles, Springs pitched five-plus innings, allowing one run on six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks. Although he didn’t get the win, his performance was a positive sign as he rebuilds his strength and confidence on the mound.

Springs’ history against the Diamondbacks is limited, with two relief appearances dating back to 2018, during which he posted a 3.86 ERA. However, this will be his first time starting against Arizona, and he’ll be looking to build on his recent momentum.

Diamondbacks’ Strong Run

The Arizona Diamondbacks come into this game having had areas of strength for a, regardless of their six-game series of wins finishing off with Friday’s misfortune. With only four misfortunes in their last 22 games, the Diamondbacks have move into conflict in the National League West, sitting only three games behind the division-driving Los Angeles Dodgers. They are also attached with the San Diego Padres on the NL wild-card standings.

Manager Torey Lovullo provided an update on second baseman Ketel Marte, who has been nursing a low-grade ankle sprain. Marte, who has had only three at-bats in the past week, is expected to return to the lineup soon, possibly as early as Saturday. “Judging by how he looks, I think we might see him very, very soon,” Lovullo said, indicating Marte’s progress in recovery.

There’s also a chance that third baseman Eugenio Suarez might get a day off after being hit in the hand by a pitch on Friday, although he managed to stay in the game and contribute a hit.

Gallen Aims for 10th Win

The Diamondbacks will counter with veteran right-hander Zac Gallen (9-5, 3.69 ERA), who is hoping to get his tenth success of the time. Gallen has been in strong structure as of late, going 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his last five beginnings. His main past beginning against the Rays came on June 27, 2023, where he procured a triumph subsequent to allowing four sudden spikes in demand for five hits more than six innings.

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Conclusion: Springs vs. Gallen in Crucial Matchup

Saturday’s down presents a critical chance for the two groups. The Rays, having finished their terrible streak, are anxious to expand on that energy and move once more into a better situation in the wild-card race. Jeffrey Springs will be critical to that work as he searches for his most memorable success of the time and proceeds with his rebound process.

In the mean time, the Diamondbacks are planning to return from Friday’s misfortune and keep up with areas of strength for them towards the playoffs. With Zac Gallen on the hill, they have a solid arm to assist them with accomplishing that goal. As the two groups fight it out, the game vows to be one more firmly challenged matchup with critical ramifications for the postseason yearnings of both the Rays and Diamondbacks.