Tampa Bay Rays vs Arizona Diamondbacks Picks and Predictions August 18th 2024

From Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, we have the Diamondbacks and Rays facing off in an interleague matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 1:40 PM ET. BSSUN is carrying this one on TV.

The Diamondbacks are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -125 compared to the Rays at +105. The over/under line is at 7.5 runs, and the Rays will look to extend their two-game win streak. Arizona has lost two in a row and is 69-55, while the Rays are 61-61. Drew Rasmussen is starting for the Rays, and the Diamondbacks are going with Merrill Kelly. Arizona is currently 3rd in the NL West, while the Rays are 4th in the AL East.

• Teams: Diamondbacks at Rays
• Where: Tropicana Field St. Petersburg
• Date: Sunday, August 18th
• Betting Odds ARI -125 | TB +105 O/U 7.5

Merrill Kelly and the Diamondbacks are on the road to take on the Rays. Kelly has started three games so far this season, and he has a win and two no-decisions. In his first start, he went 7 innings against the Yankees, giving up 2 runs. In his last outing, he went 5 innings and gave up 2 runs in a win over the Phillies.

Arizona has been the league’s top-scoring offense this season, averaging 5.2 runs per game. They have been even better at home, putting up 5.5 runs per contest. Overall, they are 3rd in team batting average and 2nd in on-base percentage. The Diamondbacks also have the league’s 6th ranked home run hitter in Ketel Marte, who has gone deep 30 times this season.

Over his last eight games, Jake McCarthy has gone 13/33 with two homers and 12 RBIs. Corbin Carroll has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/29 with three homers in his last eight games. Eugenio Suarez is currently on a three-game hitting streak.

Drew Rasmussen will be making his first start of the season for the Rays after his first two appearances came out of the bullpen. In his last outing, he went 2 innings and struck out 3, allowing 2 hits and no runs. He started the year with a 1-inning outing vs. the Orioles.

Yandy Diaz has been one of the Rays’ most consistent hitters this season, as he is batting .273 for the season and has gone 9/36 in his last nine games. However, he has not hit a home run during this stretch. Diaz’s 54 RBIs are the best mark on the team. Christopher Morel is the team’s home run leader with 20, but he is batting just .189 for the season.

Overall, the Rays are near the bottom of the league in runs per game, and they have been even worse at home, averaging just 3.6 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .233 and have the 24th ranked slugging percentage in the league.

The Tampa Bay Rays, after hitting a rough patch with three straight series losses, are back on track. They’ve not only won the series against the scorching-hot Arizona Diamondbacks but are also one game away from a sweep. As they head into Sunday’s game in St. Petersburg, Fla., the Rays have flipped the script at a crucial point in the season.

Rays Turn It Around Against One of MLB’s Best Teams

Facing off against the Arizona Diamondbacks, one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball, the Rays have shown grit and determination. Arizona came into this series on a tear, winning nine straight series and boasting an 18-5 record in their last 23 games. But the Rays have taken the first two games of this series, a big win for them as they gear up for a tough West Coast road trip.

Game-by-Game Breakdown

Friday’s Game: The Rays kicked off the series with a nail-biting 5-4 comeback win. Their resilience under pressure was evident, setting the tone for the series.

Saturday’s Game: The Rays’ pitching staff, led by Jeffrey Springs in his first win post-Tommy John surgery, shut down the Diamondbacks’ offense. Springs and four relievers limited Arizona to just five singles in a commanding 6-1 victory. On offense, the Rays were on fire, racking up 13 hits, including a home run, a triple, three doubles, and four stolen bases. This offensive outburst was exactly what they needed after recent struggles.

Kevin Cash Hits a Milestone with 800th Win

Saturday’s win was extra special for Rays manager Kevin Cash, who earned his 800th career victory. This milestone puts him among the top active managers in MLB, a true testament to his leadership over the past decade with his hometown team.

“I didn’t even realize it until after the game,” Cash said. “I’m thrilled. I appreciate the guys. Every win counts. This is a great organization to reach that many wins with.”

Standout Player Performances

Josh Lowe: Lowe has been one of the Rays’ most consistent hitters lately. On Saturday, he went 1-for-4 with an RBI triple, a run, and a stolen base, continuing his hot streak. Over his last 15 games, Lowe is hitting .340, a result of simplifying his swing and using the entire field. “I’m just keeping it simple and using the big part of the field,” Lowe said. “When I do that, things start to click.”

Eugenio Suarez: Despite the Diamondbacks’ struggles in this series, Suarez has been a bright spot in their lineup. Since July 2, Suarez has been on fire, batting .308 with 25 extra-base hits over a 40-game stretch. His contributions have been key to Arizona’s recent success, and even after being hit by a pitch on Friday, he stayed in the game and remained a force on Saturday.

Looking Ahead: The Road Trip

As the Rays gear up for a West Coast road trip, they’re making some strategic moves to manage their pitching staff. Manager Kevin Cash has decided to go with a bullpen game on Sunday, pushing rookie starter Taj Bradley back to the series opener against the Oakland Athletics on Monday. Bradley, who’s had a rough August with an 11.00 ERA over two starts, could use the extra rest before taking on his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers later in the week.

Pitching Matchup for Series Finale

Rays’ Pitching: With Zack Littell out due to shoulder fatigue, the Rays have called up left-hander Tyler Alexander from Triple-A Durham. Alexander is expected to handle most of the innings after right-hander Drew Rasmussen opens the game. Alexander has been solid in his limited appearances this season, giving up no runs over four innings in two relief outings against Arizona.

Diamondbacks’ Pitching: Merrill Kelly, who’s been lights out since returning from a shoulder strain, will start for Arizona. In his last start, Kelly went five innings, giving up just two runs in a 12-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. However, his last outing against the Rays in 2019 was a rough one, where he allowed seven runs in four innings. Kelly will be looking for redemption as the Diamondbacks try to avoid the sweep.

Rays Eyeing a Sweep, But Tough Road Ahead

The Tampa Bay Rays have shown serious resilience in this series, proving they can hang with one of the best teams in baseball. As they aim for a sweep on Sunday, they’ll quickly turn their attention to a challenging West Coast road trip. With key players stepping up and smart decisions being made, the Rays are setting themselves up well for the tough challenges ahead.

Today’s game between the Diamondbacks and Rays should be a low-scoring game, but with the line sitting at 7.5 runs, we are still 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 have Drew Rasmussen as the better strikeout option over Merrill Kelly for the Diamondbacks.