Jorge Polanco and the Minnesota Twins will square off against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in a Sunday showdown. Fox Sports North will be showing this AL showdown. The game gets underway at 1:10 p.m. ET.
Minnesota Twins vs. Tampa Bay Rays Odds
The Rays are 35-21 straight up (SU) and 33-22 against the spread (ATS). The team’s gained 6.4 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 10.2 units ATS. Tampa Bay has covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the under has hit in three of those seven. The Twins have gone 39-18 SU this year and are 34-22 against the spread. In total, the club has gained 20.3 units for moneyline gamblers and 10.4 units ATS. Minnesota has covered the spread six times in its last seven games and the total has gone under in four of those seven.
Tampa Bay games have an over/under record of 23-29-3 so far in 2019. Minnesota has an over/under record of 28-26-2.
Jake Odorizzi will get the start for the visiting Twins. The right-handed Odorizzi (7-2, 2.16 ERA) has racked up 61 strikeouts in 58.1 innings so far. He has yet to face the Rays this year and only made one start against them in 2018 (0-0, 10.38 ERA and three strikeouts over 4.1 innings).
The Rays are turning to lefty Ryan Yarbrough (4-1, 5.53 ERA), who’s got 19 strikeouts and six walks as well as a WHIP of 1.08. Yarbrough did not re a start against the Twins in 2018.
Minnesota’s pitchers have allowed 4.1 runs per game and its starters own a 3.55 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 8.34 K/9. The bullpen has managed an ERA of 4.37, along with a K/9 of 9.66.
Twins hitters have slashed .274/.344/.510 on their way to 5.9 runs scored per game in 2019, including 7.3 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.6 per game over the team’s last five contests (3-2 SU).
Minnesota’s hitters have been paced by shortstop Jorge Polanco and left fielder Eddie Rosario, who’ve collectively launched 26 home runs. Polanco is slashing .335/.405/.586 with nine home runs, 28 RBIs and 37 runs scored, while Rosario (.281/.312/.548) is up to 17 homers, 49 RBIs and 39 runs scored.
In the home-team dugout, Tampa Bay’s pitchers have allowed 3.2 runs per game overall this year. Its starters have an ERA of 2.44, a WHIP of 0.99 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 10.4. The bullpen has a 3.53 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 8.9 K/9.
The Tampa Bay offense is putting up 4.6 runs per contest, including 5.4 per game over its last 10 games and 5.2 per game over its last five. The team has a slash-line of .275/.361/.410 over its last five matchups and is 3-2 SU during that span.
Outfielders Tommy Pham and Avisail Garcia have paced the Rays’ hitters this year. Pham is slashing .305/.418/.488 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs, 26 runs and six stolen bases, and Garcia’s line is .301/.363/.522 with 10 homers, 25 RBIs, 28 runs and six stolen bases.
The Rays have lost 0.6 units and are 20-18 ATS when facing a righty starter. The over has hit in 18 of those games, compared to 17 that’ve gone under against right-handed starting pitchers.
Twins vs. Rays Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Twins, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The under has cashed in three of Tampa Bay’s last seven games.
- Minnesota has recorded 28.3 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 24.6 over its last five.
- The Twins have hit 20 home runs in their last 10 games. The Rays have hit 14 over their last 10.
- The Twins have a total OPS of .854 this season, including an OPS of .867 against left-handed pitchers. The Rays’ OPS sits at .776 overall and .712 against southpaws.
