Rockies vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview: Tampa Huge Favorites Over Colorado

The Colorado Rockies are taking their dismal road show to Tampa Bay for a three-game series beginning Tuesday. The Rockies are 20-43 on the road, the worst away record in the National League. Tampa Bay Rays has the second-best home record in the American League at 40-22. So it’s no surprise to see the Rockies vs Tampa Bay Rays betting preview showing Tampa -265 in Tuesday’s series opener. The Rockies are +215 and the total on the game is 9-under (-120).

Zack Littell is expected to start the game for Tampa Bay. He’s appeared in 20 games this season, making seven starts. He has a 2-4 record with a 3.99 ERA. The Rays have been working on stretching him out. His last four starts have seen him pitch five innings or more. The Rays are 3-4 when he starts.

Colorado will start Ty Blach, who has 12 appearances, with five of those being starts. He’s 1-1 with a 4.14 ERA on the season. He’s also been trying to stretch out his innings, with three of his last four starts lasting five innings or more. The Rockies are just 1-4 when he starts despite allowing just 3.8 runs in those five games. Colorado has scored a total of 12 runs in those five games.

Scoring runs has been a problem for the Rockies all season. Colorado is No. 15 in team batting average and No. 20 in runs scored even though it plays half its games in a hitter-friendly park. The Rockies are No. 29 in road scoring. While the offense hasn’t performed like a team playing home games in Coors Field, the pitching staff has. Colorado is No. 29 in team ERA.

Tampa Bay is No. 7 in team ERA and No. 4 in runs scored in the MLB team stats. The Rays don’t have any real weaknesses.

Tuesday’s Game

The series opener isn’t necessarily an easy game from a handicapping perspective. The Rays are a bit overpriced in the game. But that doesn’t mean the Rockies are a good play. Blach actually has a lower ERA at home than he does on the road. And Littell has actually pitched much better on the road than he has at home. Both pitchers have limited sample sizes, but their stats aren’t what you’d expect.

These teams haven’t met since 2019, so it’s not like they’re familiar with each other. That should favor the pitchers a little bit, especially since hitters will likely face them just twice before they’re removed. It’s probably easier to make a case for the under 9 than the over in this one. It shouldn’t be one of your top MLB picks for the day, but the under-9 is the way to look here.

Wednesday’s Game

The Rockies vs Tampa Bay Rays betting preview shows Austin Gomber and Aaron Civale as the starters in this one. Tampa Bay is going to be a huge favorite in this game. Gomber is 9-9 with a 5.52 ERA. Civale is 6-3 with a 2.44 ERA. Gomber has some ugly stats, but the Rockies are 13-12 when he starts. That’s impressive when you’re pitching on a team with a 48-76 record. Colorado is 5-6 when he starts on the road and 2-9 in total. The Rays have won two of Civale’s three starts since picking him up from Cleveland. He’s been strong all year and this is another game where the under is likely the best bet considering how high the odds on Tampa Bay will be.

Thursday’s Game

The Rockies vs Tampa Bay Rays betting preview shows Peter Lambert scheduled to start for the Rockies. Tampa Bay hasn’t named a pitcher. Erasmo Ramirez would be next in line, but he simply hasn’t pitched well since the Rays picked him up on waivers. The Rays are probably hoping to get decent innings from their starters on Tuesday and Wednesday. That would allow a bullpen game on Thursday, which could mean Ramirez gets the nod. But he will be on a tight leash at the first sign of struggling. The MLB schedule has the Rays hosting the Yankees beginning Friday, so the team would like to have a few arms ready for the series.

Lambert is 3-4 with a 5.02 ERA. He’s pitched out of the bullpen a fair amount this season, with 14 of his 21 appearances in a relief role. The Rockies are just 2-5 in his seven starts. Colorado is 1-3 when he starts on the road and 1-3 in totals with him on the road.

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