Rays vs Twins MLB Betting: Minnesota Big Home Favorites
Minnesota Clinging to Wild Card Spot
The Tampa Bay Rays (34-38) visit the Minnesota Twins (40-32) for three games beginning Tuesday. Tampa Bay is now 6.0 games out of a wild card spot and is fortunate enough not to be farther back. With a run differential of -71, the Rays x-W/L record is 29-43.
The Twins are holding onto a wild card spot and bring a five-game winning streak into the contest. The Rays vs Twins MLB betting sees Minnesota’s Pablo Lopez -150 over Aaron Civale in the opener with a total of 8-over (-115). Minnesota is +140 on the run line at -1.5 runs.
Not much is going right for Tampa Bay offensively. The Rays are No. 24 in team batting average, No. 29 in home runs, and tied for No. 24 in scoring with 3.9 runs per game. Tampa Bay does score slightly more on the road at 4.1 runs per game.
The Rays aren’t getting the job done on the mound either. Tampa Bay is No. 25 in team ERA. The bullpen has been average at best but is a little more effective on the road. Still, for a team that has had one of the best bullpens in baseball over the last decade, the Rays are a disappointment.
The Twins are No. 14 in team batting average, but No. 6 in home runs. You can sacrifice a few base hits for power. Minnesota is averaging 4.6 runs per game, which ranks No. 9 in Major League Baseball. The Twins are also No. 6 in slugging percentage, so it’s the offense that is the big reason why the MLB playoff odds on Minnesota are shrinking.
Minnesota’s pitchers are just No. 22 in team ERA. The bullpen has been better than the starters, going 16-9 with a 3.69 ERA. Minnesota also has 23 saves in 31 attempts. The starters need to pitch a little deeper into games to take full advantage of the relievers.
Rays vs Twins 
📍Location: Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota
⏰Day/Time: 📺Streaming: BSSUN
Tuesday’s Game
Civale has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season. He’s 2-5 with a 5.20 ERA and the Rays are 4-10 when he starts. Civale does have three decent outings in his last four starts, so he could be turning the corner. It’s just hard to put much betting faith in him or this Tampa Bay team. Tampa Bay has dropped his last seven starts and that’s one reason why the Tampa Bay Rays standings show the team in last place. Civale hasn’t been the same pitcher since leaving Cleveland.
Lopez has also been a bit of a disappointment, going 6-6 with a 5.33 ERA. The Twins are 7-7 when he starts, so they’re winning some games in spite of his pitching. Lopez has had a couple of decent starts lately, but also several terrible outings. The Twins are 2-6 in his last eight starts.
It’s not quite one of your MLB best bets today, but the overlooks to be the way to go in this spot.
Wednesday’s Game
The Rays vs Twins MLB betting has Taj Bradley and Joe Ryan as the scheduled starters. Bradley has either been very good or very bad. In seven starts he’s allowed two runs or less five times and five runs or more twice. The Rays are 3-4 when he starts and he’s pitching to a 4.23 ERA. His worst start of the year was on the road, so his away ERA is 11.88 and 2.10 at home.
Ryan is having a decent season, going 5-5 with a 3.35 ERA. Minnesota is 8-6 when he starts, but just 3-4 when he starts at home. Ryan’s best outings of the season have come when he’s been on the road.
The Twins will be decent favorites in this one, as they should be. This is another game where there could be more runs than expected, so the over is worth a look.
Thursday’s Game
The Rays vs Twins MLB betting has Zack Littell and Simeon Woods Richardson as the starters for the series finale on Thursday. Littell is doing what he’s paid to do, which is go out to the mound every five days and give Tampa Bay a chance to win. He’s pitching to a 3.89 ERA, but has just a 2-5 record and the Rays are 6-8 when he starts. Tampa Bay needs him to pick it up a notch and that might be asking too much.
Woods Richardson is throwing well for the Twins. He owns a 2-1 record with a 3.29 ERA. The Twins are 4-0 when he starts at home and 4-3 when he starts on the road even though his road ERA is slightly better. His last start wasn’t his best, so he’s a candidate to bounce back a little bit.
Littell also didn’t have his best outing the last time he took the mound, so the under is probably the way to play this game.
Rays vs Twins Odds
For MLB betting news, MLB odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
