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Larry Ness
Jul 31 '18, 7:10 PM in 29m
MLB | Angels vs Rays
Play on: Angels -125 at GTBets
My free play is on the LA Angels at 7:10 ET. The 53-53 Tampa Bay Rays host the opener of a three-game series against the 54-53 Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night. Neither team is really a playoff contender as the Angels sit 9 1/2 games out of the second AL wild card spot, while the Rays are 10 back. Tampa Bay comes off an awful weekend, as after beating the Orioles 4-3 last Thursday, the Rays lost Friday, Saturday and Sunday while getting outscored 37-12 (note: Baltimore owns MLB's worst record at 32-74 plus its worst moneyline mark at minus-$37228). in contrast, LA's offense scored 38 runs during the team's four-game winning streak, before allowing seven first-inning runs on Sunday en route to dropping an 8-5 setback to Seattle.
Lefty Tyler Skaggs (8-6, 2.62 ERA) will get the start for LA. He enters on a roll, as he improved to 5-2 with a 1.44 ERA in his last eight outings last Wednesday (Angels are 6-2), after allowing one ER on four hits over six innings of an 11-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. Skaggs pitched well against the Rays back on May 17, taking a shutout into the sixth inning and giving up just one run and six hits while striking out seven. For his career, he's 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA against the Rays, with his other outing in 2014. Tampa Bay will turn to reliever-turned-"opener" Ryne Stanek (1-3, 2.43 ERA). He is 0-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 15 starts this season, with the Rays going 6-9, minus-$252 vs the moneyline in those 'starts!' Stanek comes in off a rare bad outing, giving up three runs on two HRs in two innings Saturday against the Orioles. After all, Stanek had allowed just three runs in his previous 23 appearances, going back to the beginning of June. However, he saw his ERA balloon from 1.86 to 2.43 in that one appearance.
Tampa Bay has pushed through trade after trade, as the offseason saw Evan Longoria, Corey Dickerson, Jake Odorizzi and Steven Souza all dealt away. Then, closer Jesus Colome and outfielder Denard Span were dealt early this season. However, despite all of that turnover and key injuries, the Rays were three games above .500 before the Orioles took the final three of a four-game series over the weekend. Now, Tampa Bay is expected to continue to sell off some of its key assets in advance of Tuesday's trade deadline, potentially including top starter Chris Archer. The Rays traded away three pitchers in three days last week, dealing away starter Nathan Eovaldi to the Boston Red Sox, reliever Matt Andriese to the Arizona Diamondbacks and reliever Jonny Venters to the Atlanta Braves. Too much uncertainty surrounding the Rays to NOT take the Angels in this one, especially with Skaggs pitching so well (1.44 ERA over his last eight starts / team is 6-2).
Good luck...Larry
Jul 31 '18, 7:10 PM in 29m
MLB | Angels vs Rays
Play on: Angels -125 at GTBets
My free play is on the LA Angels at 7:10 ET. The 53-53 Tampa Bay Rays host the opener of a three-game series against the 54-53 Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night. Neither team is really a playoff contender as the Angels sit 9 1/2 games out of the second AL wild card spot, while the Rays are 10 back. Tampa Bay comes off an awful weekend, as after beating the Orioles 4-3 last Thursday, the Rays lost Friday, Saturday and Sunday while getting outscored 37-12 (note: Baltimore owns MLB's worst record at 32-74 plus its worst moneyline mark at minus-$37228). in contrast, LA's offense scored 38 runs during the team's four-game winning streak, before allowing seven first-inning runs on Sunday en route to dropping an 8-5 setback to Seattle.
Lefty Tyler Skaggs (8-6, 2.62 ERA) will get the start for LA. He enters on a roll, as he improved to 5-2 with a 1.44 ERA in his last eight outings last Wednesday (Angels are 6-2), after allowing one ER on four hits over six innings of an 11-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. Skaggs pitched well against the Rays back on May 17, taking a shutout into the sixth inning and giving up just one run and six hits while striking out seven. For his career, he's 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA against the Rays, with his other outing in 2014. Tampa Bay will turn to reliever-turned-"opener" Ryne Stanek (1-3, 2.43 ERA). He is 0-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 15 starts this season, with the Rays going 6-9, minus-$252 vs the moneyline in those 'starts!' Stanek comes in off a rare bad outing, giving up three runs on two HRs in two innings Saturday against the Orioles. After all, Stanek had allowed just three runs in his previous 23 appearances, going back to the beginning of June. However, he saw his ERA balloon from 1.86 to 2.43 in that one appearance.
Tampa Bay has pushed through trade after trade, as the offseason saw Evan Longoria, Corey Dickerson, Jake Odorizzi and Steven Souza all dealt away. Then, closer Jesus Colome and outfielder Denard Span were dealt early this season. However, despite all of that turnover and key injuries, the Rays were three games above .500 before the Orioles took the final three of a four-game series over the weekend. Now, Tampa Bay is expected to continue to sell off some of its key assets in advance of Tuesday's trade deadline, potentially including top starter Chris Archer. The Rays traded away three pitchers in three days last week, dealing away starter Nathan Eovaldi to the Boston Red Sox, reliever Matt Andriese to the Arizona Diamondbacks and reliever Jonny Venters to the Atlanta Braves. Too much uncertainty surrounding the Rays to NOT take the Angels in this one, especially with Skaggs pitching so well (1.44 ERA over his last eight starts / team is 6-2).
Good luck...Larry
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