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The Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians are both battling for AL wild-card spots – the Rays also are in the AL East mix – as they open a series in Cleveland on Thursday night. The Indians likely will be slight favorites on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Rays at Indians MLB Odds & TV Info

• When: Thursday, 7:10 PM ET
• Where: Progressive Field
• Probable pitchers (away/home): Luis Patino/Cal Quantrill
• TV: MLB Extra Innings
• Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
• Opening MLB Lines: TBA

Why Bet on Tampa Bay?

Outfielder Manuel Margot is on track to begin a minor league rehab assignment later this week at Triple-A Durham. Margot landed on the injured list on July 7 because of a Grade 1 strain of his left hamstring. If all goes well, he should to be activated early next week. Margot has slashed .252/.297/.404 with nine home runs and nine stolen bases in 76 games this season for Tampa Bay.

Two other injury concerns for Tampa Bay as infielder Yandy Diaz and All-Star catcher Mike Zunino were out of the lineup Wednesday vs. Baltimore. Diaz also missed Tuesday’s game after making an exit on Monday due to neck spasms. Zunino has been sidelined since Monday due to left hip flexor tightness.

Diaz is hitting .333 (10-for-30) with 2 2B, 2 HR and 6 RBI in 9 games in July. He has 5 HR in his last 26 games after 62 games and 210 AB without one. A total of 78.6 percent (55 of 70) of his hits this season are singles, with 10 2B and 5 HR.

Zunino’s 19 homers are most among ML catchers (while playing the position) and his most since 2018 (20, with SEA). The 19 dingers are a single-season club record among catchers (while playing the position), passing Wilson Ramos (14) in 2018 and John Flaherty (14) in 1999. Zunino has 19 HR in 65 games this season, after 13 HR in 118 games in his first two seasons with the Rays (2019-20). He leads the majors with a .794 SLG and 1.197 OPS vs. left-handed pitchers.

It’s Luis Patino (1-2, 4.87) on the mound here. He was sent down to Triple-A Durham early this month but will be recalled for the start. His most recent MLB start was July 2 vs. the Blue Jays in which Patino allowed seven runs (five earned) over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the Blue Jays. Patino was tagged for six runs on five hits, including a two-run homer by George Springer.  The 21-year-old righty owns a 4.87 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 24/5 K/BB ratio across 20 1/3 innings (six appearances, four starts) at the major-league level this season.

He’s been pretty good at Triple-A this year, going 3-1 with a 3.07 ERA (29.1-IP, 10-ER) in 7 starts with Durham, including 0-0 with a 5.00 ERA (9-IP, 5-ER) and 12 SO in 2 starts following is last option. He most recently pitched last Friday in Triple-A vs. Jacksonville and went a season-high six innings, allowing four runs. Patino has never faced the Indians.

The Rays have won eight consecutive games against the Indians, the longest winning streak against them in franchise history.

Why Bet on Cleveland?

Thursday will be the first meeting between the Rays and Indians at Progressive Field since May 23-26, 2019. The Rays lost 18 straight games at Progressive Field from Sep 29, 2005–July 23, 2010, and it remains the club’s longest losing streak at a visiting park. At the end of that losing streak, the Rays were 12-39 (.235) there, but since then they are 18-13 (.581).

It’s Cal Quantrill on the mound. Quantrill allowed one run on four hits and two walks over five innings to get the win last Saturday as the Indians defeated the Athletics 3-2. After a leadoff infield single by A’s Tony Kemp in the fifth inning Quantrill hit Aramis Garcia and Mark Canha to load the bases. But he re-focused and got Elvis Andrus to ground into a double play during a pivotal moment of the game. The right-hander struck out five during the contest despite only generating a 24 percent CSW. Quantrill was able to get nine called strikes on his four-seam fastball, leading to three strikeouts looking.

The 26-year-old is 2-2 on the season with a 4.05 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 66 2/3 innings. He has won consecutive starts, but he’s still allowed 17 runs in 24 innings across his last five outings.

The midseason transition from reliever to starter hasn’t been easy, but with every outing, Quantrill is becoming more and more comfortable.

“I think that we really committed these last three, four starts going through a starter’s routine, preparing to start, no fear of going back to the ‘pen,” said Quantrill, who has a 3.91 ERA in his last three starts. “It has felt better. I feel like we’ve had a better approach. We’ve gotten better and made better pitches.”

Game Trends

• Rays are 6-1 in their last 7 Thursday games.
• Rays are 13-4 in their last 17 vs. American League Central.
• Rays are 3-11 in their last 14 road games.
• Indians are 70-32 in their last 102 Thursday games.
• Indians are 7-15 in their last 22 vs. American League East.
• Rays are 13-3 in the last 16 meetings.

Expert MLB Prediction

Indians 5, Rays 3

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