The Saint Louis Cardinals head to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, for an interleague matchup between two of the top contenders in the MLB at Tropicana Field.
The Cardinals come into this matchup with a record of 32-23 and are on a two-game winning streak. The Rays, on the other hand, have lost their last two but still own a record of 31-23 in the AL East.
The Rays are a -142 home favorite over the Cardinals (+123). The starting pitchers for the Tampa Bay Rays are Jeffrey Springs (2-2) and Dakota Hudson (4-2) of the St. Louis Cardinals. The over/under for this contest is set at 7.5 total runs.
Cardinals Half Game Behind Brewers
Dakota Hudson will start the game for the Cardinals, and he has pitched well this season, with a 2.96 ERA in eleven starts, and 51.2 innings pitched. However, the 27-year-old right-hander hasn’t been the same on the road, allowing three or more earned runs in five appearances.
The Cardinals are coming off a 5-3 win in 11 innings over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. They moved to 32-23 on the season after winning five of their last six games, and they are now only a half-game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the National League Central.
With a team OPS of .721 and a 4.89 runs per game, this lineup ranks fourth in baseball. Paul Goldschmidt is batting .349/.423/.608 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI to make a case for NL MVP.
Despite this, the offense will be shorthanded with Dylan Carlson (strained hamstring), Corey Dickerson (strained calf), and Tyler O’Neill (shoulder impingement) all on the IL.
Rays Fall to Third Place in AL East
Hudson will be opposed by Jeffrey Springs, a 29-year-old lefty who has been one of baseball’s most reliable starters in 2022. In six starts and 38.1 innings, Springs has a 1.88 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a 40/8 K/BB ratio. He was 1-2 with a 2.49 ERA in his previous five starts.
The Rays were recently trounced in a three-game home series against the Chicago White Sox. After winning the first game 6-3, Tampa Bay has lost two games in a row by one run, 3-2 and 6-5. The Rays are presently 31-23, eight games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees in the standings.
This season, the Rays’ offense has slumped, averaging 4.13 runs per game (20th in the majors) and have a run differential of just +11. Furthermore, the Rays have struggled to hit in recent weeks, hitting just .201/.277/.329, giving them the second-lowest OPS in baseball.
Tampa Bay’s two biggest hitters, second baseman Brandon Lowe (stress reaction in back) and shortstop Wander Franco (strained quad) are both on the IL.
Cardinals/Rays Betting Prediction
While the Cardinals are now the better overall team, the Rays have a large enough beginning pitching lead to win this game. Springs has been excellent, and Hudson has not been the same pitcher he is on the road than he is at home.
The Rays will also benefit from the battle of the bullpens, as they rank fourth in reliever ERA, while St. Louis is closer to the middle of the pack.
This St. Louis’ offense is difficult to stop, but they will have all of their top outfielders out in this contest. The Cardinals are clicking on both sides of the ball with a +54 run differential, but they will hit the road and are 1-5 against the Rays in their last six contests.
Betting Pick: Rays ML -142
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