Braves vs. Rays Prediction: Sale vs. Baz Pitching Duel (April 13)

Atlanta Braves vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Date: Sunday, April 13th, 1:40 ET
Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field
TV: None
Money Line: Braves -129/Rays +110
Total Line: 7.5

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Betting Preview

Here’s our betting preview for the upcoming MLB clash between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Braves on Sunday, April 13th at George M. Steinbrenner Field. We provide you with a comprehensive analysis, odds, and predictions to help with your handicapping decision or tail our expert based on the projected lineups and listed starting pitchers.

Betting Odds

At 1:40 PM ET, the Braves and Rays square off in an interleague matchup. This one is being played at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, and the Braves are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -129 compared to the Rays at +110. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs.

Chris Sale is starting for the Braves, and he is facing off against Shane Baz. Atlanta is just 4-10 this season, while the Rays have an overall record of 6-8.

Braves vs. Rays Projected Lineup

Straight Up/Over-Under/ Runline Record

Atlanta Braves: 4-10 SU / OU 5-7 / Runline 4-10
Tampa Bay Rays: 6-8 SU / OU 5-8 / Runline 6-8

The most recent game o of this Braves vs Rays series came right down to the end, as the Braves rallied late for a 5-4 win. Heading into the game, the Braves were at +118 on the money line.

Tampa Bay had a 1-0 lead after the first inning and added their final run in the 3rd. As for the Braves, they didn’t get on the board until the 7th inning, when they scored one run to make it a 2-1 game. Atlanta then exploded for two runs in the 8th and another two in the 9th to pick up the win.

AJ Smith-Shawver got the start for the Braves, going just five innings while giving up two runs and striking out seven. Dylan Lee got the win out of the bullpen, and Raisel Iglesias got the save. Cole Sulser took the loss for the Rays out of the bullpen.

Braves Records & Recent Play

Atlanta is 5th in the NL East, five games behind the Mets for the division lead. Overall, the Braves are 4-10, and they are 1-8 on the road this year. They have gone 3-2 against other teams in the NL East.

So far, the Braves have been the underdog in every game, and they have yet to be the favorite in a game. Atlanta is 1-3 in day games and 3-7 in night games this year. The Braves are also 4-6 in their last 10 games and have an even series record of 1-2-1.

Rays Records & Recent Play

Tampa Bay is currently 4th in the AL East, and they are two games behind the Yankees for the division lead. The Rays are 6-8 overall and have gone just 3-7 over their last 10 games. So far, they have yet to play a game in the AL East.

The Rays have dropped two straight series and have an overall series record of 2-2 this year. At home, they are 6-5 compared to 0-3 on the road. So far, they have yet to win a game on the road.

Pitching Matchup

Chris Sale will be making his 4th start of the season, and it will be his 2nd road start. Sale has yet to pick up a win, as he has a loss and two no-decisions. His last time out, he went five innings and took the loss vs. the Dodgers, and in his first start of the season, he went five innings and gave up three runs vs. the Padres.

Shane Baz is getting set to make his 3rd start of the season, and he has been impressive in his first two outings. In his first start, he went six innings and struck out 10 batters, giving up seven hits but no runs. Then, in his last start, he went seven innings and struck out 6, giving up two earned runs on three hits.

Braves vs. Rays Offense Outlook

So far this season, the Braves are averaging just 3.3 runs per game, which is 28th in the league. However, they have been much better at home, averaging 4.8 runs per contest. As a team, the Braves are batting just .233, but they do have the 8th most home runs in the league. Currently, they have three players who are among the league leaders in home runs, with Ozzie Albies, Sean Murphy, and Marcell Ozuna all having three homers.

Marcell Ozuna comes into the game with a five-game hitting streak and is batting .326 for the season. He also has a team-high eight RBIs. Austin Riley has also been swinging the bat well of late, going 11/23 in his last five games with a homer and three RBIs. For the season, Riley is batting .276.

For the season, the Rays are batting .264, which is the 4th best mark in the league. However, they are just 21st in the league in runs per game at 3.8. Tampa Bay has been even worse on the road, averaging just three runs per contest. As a team, they are 10th in home runs, but their isolated power number of .141 is only 16th in the league.

Brandon Lowe is 4th in the league with three home runs and is also 12th in the league with nine RBIs. Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero are both batting over .260 and have two homers apiece. Aranda has gone 4/11 in his last three games, while Caminero has also gone 4/11 in that stretch.

Free Braves vs. Rays MLB Pick

One of the biggest surprises of the season so far is the Braves and their 4-10 start to the year. Yet, they have Chris Sale on the mound versus a Rays lineup that he should be able to lock down. Even with their poor record, I think getting Atlanta at -129 is a steal in this one.

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