Tampa Bay Rays vs Baltimore Orioles Picks and Predictions August 11th 2024

The Orioles and Rays are set to face off in an AL East matchup at 1:40 PM ET on Sunday. This one is being played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, and the Orioles are favored on the money line (-109 vs. -109 for the Rays).

Albert Suarez will be on the mound for the Orioles, while the Rays are starting Jeffrey Springs. Baltimore is currently on a two-game winning streak, and their 70-48 record has them first in the AL East. The Rays have lost two straight and are 4th in the division at 58-58.

Baltimore vs. Tampa Bay Key Information

• Teams: Orioles at Rays
• Where: Tropicana Field St. Petersburg
• Date: Sunday, August 11th
• Betting Odds TB -109 | BAL -109 O/U 8

Right-hander Albert Suárez gets the start for the Orioles today as he faces the Rays on the road. He has made 15 starts this season and has a record of 5-4 with an ERA of 3.66. Suárez’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.34. Out of his 23 appearances, he has turned in two quality starts and is averaging 7.21 strikeouts per nine innings. Suárez most recently faced the Blue Jays, where he didn’t factor into the decision after going five innings and not allowing a run. Before that, he had given up at least three earned runs in three straight outings.

So far this season, the Orioles have been the best home run hitting team in the league and also have the best slugging percentage and OPS in the league. Overall, they are 3rd in the league in runs scored at 5.1 runs per game. One thing that has really helped the Orioles offense is their team-wide ISO of .197, which is the best mark in the league.

Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander have been the Orioles top two power threats this season, with Henderson having 29 homers and Santander at 34. Santander’s 78 RBIs are the best mark on the team and 12th in the league. Jackson Holliday has struggled at the plate of late, going 3/18 in his last five games with three homers.

• The Orioles are 6-4 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Orioles are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Baltimore has an over/under record of 8-2 in their last ten games.
• The Orioles have an average of 5.2 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Orioles are 6-4
• Looking back across the Orioles last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Baltimore has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Orioles have averaged 5.6 runs per game on offense

Jeffrey Springs will be making his 3rd start of the season for the Rays, and he will be at home against the Orioles. In his first start, he went 3 2/3 innings and took a no-decision vs. the Marlins, and then he took a loss in his last outing, going 5 innings and allowing 4 runs (3 earned) 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 a bit better on the road, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .234, which is 19th in the league, and are also near the bottom of the league in home runs. However, they do have the 8th most walks in the league and have a collective OBP of .311.

Christopher Morel has been a bright spot for the Rays this season in terms of power, as he leads the team with 20 homers but is batting just .195. Yandy Diaz has been a bit better in terms of batting average, hitting .271, and is 3rd on the team with 10 homers. Over his last seven games, Brandon Lowe has two homers and is 8/31.

• The Rays are 4-6 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Rays are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• Tampa Bay has an over/under record of 4-6 in their last ten games.
• The Rays have an average of 3.4 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Rays are 5-5
• Looking back across the Rays last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Tampa Bay has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Rays have averaged 4.1 runs per game on offense

The Baltimore Orioles are sitting pretty at the top of the American League East, and they’re heading into Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays with a chance to complete a clean sweep on the road this season. After already sweeping a four-game series at Tropicana Field back in June, the O’s are now just one win away from a perfect 7-0 record against the Rays in St. Petersburg this year.

Orioles Owning the Road

The Orioles have been nothing short of dominant at Tropicana Field this season. If they can pull off another win on Sunday, it’ll cement their control over the Rays and underscore their rise to the top of the AL East. Strong pitching and clutch hitting have been their recipe for success, consistently outplaying their divisional rivals.

In their last game, the Orioles showed off their resilience, quickly bouncing back after the Rays tied things up in the seventh inning. Ramon Urias came through with a clutch two-run homer in the eighth, and Ryan Mountcastle added an RBI single to seal a 7-5 win.

Pitching Matchup: Albert Suarez vs. Jeffrey Springs

The Orioles are sending right-hander Albert Suarez to the mound. Suarez is stepping in for the injured Grayson Rodriguez and has put up a solid 5-4 record with a 3.66 ERA this season. He’s been tough against the Rays too, holding them to just one run over five innings in a start back in May. Even though this start came up last minute, Suarez has proven to be a reliable option for Baltimore.

The Rays will counter with lefty Jeffrey Springs, who’s still trying to find his groove after coming back from Tommy John surgery. Springs has struggled this season, posting a 0-1 record with a 6.23 ERA, but he’s had success against Baltimore in the past, with a 3-0 record and a 2.45 ERA in 12 appearances. He’ll need to be on his game if the Rays want to avoid the sweep.

Injuries Shaking Things Up

The Orioles are adjusting to life without Grayson Rodriguez, their 13-game winner who’s on the 15-day injured list with right lat/teres discomfort. Rodriguez’s absence has pushed Suarez into the starting role, and he’s stepping up just when the O’s need him most.

For the Rays, Jeffrey Springs is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and his performance has been hit or miss since returning. If Springs can keep the Orioles’ bats in check, it could be a game-changer for Tampa Bay.

Rays Struggling and Feeling the Pressure

The Rays are in a tough spot, sitting six games out of the last American League wild-card spot with a .500 record (58-58) after Saturday’s loss. They’ve had a rough time against Baltimore this season, dropping 10 of their last 11 matchups. Even though they showed some fight in the last game, with Jose Caballero hitting a game-tying homer, they couldn’t stop the Orioles’ late-game surge.

Reliever Colin Poche, who hadn’t given up a run in his previous nine appearances, saw that streak end as he allowed the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning. The Rays need to regroup fast if they want to avoid another loss and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Managerial Insights and Strategy

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde praised Suarez for stepping up in a tough situation, highlighting his mental toughness.

Rays manager Kevin Cash is facing the challenge of turning around a team that’s been struggling against the Orioles.

Poche said after the loss. Cash will need to find a way to fire up his team and get them back on track.

Wrapping It Up

As the Orioles aim for a sweep and a perfect road record against the Rays, Albert Suarez’s performance will be key to keeping their momentum going. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Springs will need to deliver a strong start if the Rays want to stay in the fight. With so much on the line for both teams, Sunday’s game is shaping up to be a thrilling conclusion to the series.

There should be no shortage of offense in today’s Orioles and Rays matchup, and not only are we leaning towards the Orioles picking up the win, but we are also leaning towards the over. Baltimore starter Albert Suárez has the highest strikeout projection among today’s starters, and on the other side, Jeffrey Springs has the 5th lowest projection.