The Baltimore Orioles are set to host the Tampa Bay Rays for the third straight day on Wednesday night.
The Orioles have taken the first two games of the series but are still home underdogs on Wednesday with a moneyline of +105 compared to Tampa’s moneyline of -125. The game also has an over/under of eight runs.
With Tuesday’s win, the Orioles are now a game over .500 and out of last place in the AL East. They have won three of five games since the all-star break and won 14 of their last 18 games. While they are out of contention in the AL East, the Orioles are just three games out of a Wild Card spot.
The Rays, on the other hand, are now nursing a four-game losing streak. Tampa won six of seven games heading into the all-star break, so it’s been disappointing to see them hit another losing skid.
The Rays are just 12-10 during the month of July, although they are still hanging onto the final Wild Card spot in the American League.
Drew Grew
The Rays will send Drew Rasmussen to the mound on Wednesday in hopes of snapping the team’s losing streak. Rasmussen has made 16 starts this year, going 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.
But while Rasmussen has a 2.29 ERA in four starts since coming back from the IL, he’s averaging less than five innings per start, so the Tampa bullpen might have to do some heavy lifting.
Of course, Tampa scoring just nine runs over the last four games has factored prominently in the Rays losing four in a row. In addition to Mike Zunino being out for the season, Manuel Margot, Harold Ramirez, Wander Franco, and Francisco Mejia are all on the IL, so the Rays are missing some key pieces to their offense.
Randy Arozarena has come back from the all-star break in good form, although the Rays aren’t providing much support behind him.
Going to the Well
Righty Tyler Wells will start for Baltimore on Wednesday. After pitching out of the bullpen last season, Wells has joined the Baltimore rotation in 2022, going 7-6 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP over 19 starts.
However, Wells has hit a wall lately, pitching to a 5.23 ERA in July with the Orioles losing his last two starts.
Fortunately, the Baltimore lineup has been performing consistently for much of July. Outside of a shutout loss against the Yankees on Sunday, the Orioles have scored at least five runs in six straight games and at least four runs in 10 straight games.
Ramon Urias has been red-hot, batting .421 with five homers in his last ten games, while Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays, and Jorge Mateo have all been consistent performers over the last two weeks.
Let the Birds Fly
Tampa’s injuries have put the Rays into a little bit of trouble, so Wells has a chance to slow them down. Baltimore’s lineup has also stayed hot against Tampa’s pitching staff during the first two games of the series.
Bet on the Orioles to stay hot and win as underdogs on Wednesday.
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