Sport: MLBPick Selection: Tampa Bay Rays (Price) -140
Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles 7:05 PM ET
Tampa Bay Rays (Price) -140
**75% Pitching Mismatch (*2.5* TOP PLAY)** Now that the playoffs have been awarded and the celebration ended, the Rays can get back to business and try to hold on and win the American League East. Tampa Bay is a game and a half in front of the Red Sox for the top spot and the goal right now is loud and clear and that is to not only win the division but finish with the best record in the American League. The Rays are 3.5 behind the Angels in that category but with the Orioles and Detroit left, it can be made up. Tampa Bay is 17-5 in the last 22 meetings.
Baltimore?s season ended a long time ago. The Orioles are coming off a 1-5 roadtrip but even a return home won?t help matters as they have not been playing well anywhere. They are a horrendous 6-24 over their last 30 games and it has been a mixture of bad pitching and hitting. The arms have allowed five runs or more in 20 of those 24 losses while the bats have scored three runs or fewer in 16 of those contests. The 5.10 season ERA is third worst in all of baseball. The Orioles are 5-14 in their last 19 home games.
This is the day that many Rays? fans have been waiting for as it is the first ever Major League start for David Price. Price was the top pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft and he has steadily made his way up through the ranks. He went 12-1 with a 2.30 ERA in three minor league stops and is easily considered the top pitching prospect on this team. He has made two bullpen appearances, posting a 3.00 ERA in six innings. The Orioles are 8-24 in their last 32 home games against a left-handed starter.
Baltimore counters with Brian Bass, another young pitcher for the team. He has made two starts with mixed results, posting a 6.23 ERA in those outings after spending the majority of the season in the bullpen where he had a 5.01 ERA in 45 games between the Twins and Orioles. In both starts, he lasted only 4.1 innings as his command has been trouble. He has a 1.55 WHIP on the season proving that he has not been very efficient. Tampa Bay is 10-4 in its last 14 road games against a right-handed starter. The Rays hang tough with a win on Monday. Play Tampa Bay Rays 2.5 Units
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