MLB Predictions: Rays vs Marlins Lines
The Miami Marlins host the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday in the second game of a home-and-home four-game set that starts out in Miami before heading to Tampa on Wednesday. The opener in this one went to the Marlins on Monday as they claimed a 3-1 victory behind starter Randy Wolf.
Tampa Bay Rays (23-35) at Miami Marlins (29-28)
Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Time: 7:10 PM ET
Venue: Marlins Park
City: Miami, Florida
O/U Odds: 7.5
Money Line: Tampa Bay -109, Miami +101
Pitching Matchup: RH Chris Archer (3-2, 4.00 ERA) at RH Henderson Alvarez (2-3, 2.97 ERA)
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Many came away surprised by a strong outing by Wolf, as he outdueled Alex Cobb. Cobb surrendered only three runs, all in the first inning, but that was enough as Wolf threw six strong innings of one-run ball to earn the win, his first since 2012.
On Tuesday, Henderson Alvarez gets the nod for the Marlins. Alvarez has a history with the Rays from his days pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays. He made five starts against them, and went 0-5 with a 6.28 ERA.
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This season has been different for Alvarez, who has a 2.97 ERA on the year. He’s been even better of late, as he hasn’t allowed a run over his last two starts. In those two starts, Alvarez has surrendered only nine hits in 12 innings of work, with the sinkerballer inducing 27 ground balls compared with 12 fly balls.
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Chris Archer counters for the Rays. He had a bit of a rocky start to the year but has turned things around in a big way of late. Over his last three outings, Archer has allowed only two runs in 17 2/3 innings of work, helping the Rays to wins in two of those three contests.
The only loss came in a no decision for the 25-year-old, and it was also the game in which he yielded those two runs. Archer tamed the Toronto Blue Jays fairly well for six innings, allowing two runs and striking out seven, really settling down after allowing two runs in the first inning.
We’re asking for some strong trends to be reversed in this one as the Fish have been one of the best home teams in baseball this season, compiling a 21-11 mark at Marlins Park, while the Rays have been a bad road team, compiling an 11-21 mark away from home, and even enter this contest having lost seven games in a row, scoring only six runs in their last five contests, but they have enough of an edge on the mound that it’s too hard to consider picking the other way.
The Rays are 12-2 in their last 14 interleague games against a right-handed pitcher, while the Marlins are 6-21 in their last 27 games against American League East opponents.
The Rays are also 27-10 in the last 37 meetings between these teams, and 6-1 in the last six meetings in Miami.
The play: Tampa Bay -109
