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Tampa Bay was shutout in game one. The Rays only had six hits and had four errors in the field. Zach Eflin has been very good at home with a 3.30 home ERA, but has allowed three, or more, earned runs in three of his last six home starts. Texas' Nathan Eovaldi has struggled since returning from the IL, allowing a combined 17 earned runs in his last four starts. However, it's a fresh start for Eovaldi, Texas is playing with momentum and Tampa Bay’s lineup is still without some key bats.
The Rays are 14-4 in Zach Eflin's home starts this season. They were 53-28 in The Trop in the regular season anyway. After laying an egg in Game 1, it's hard for me to believe they'll just lay down in Game 2. The offense is usually great at home and gets a look at Nathan Eovaldi Wednesday. He had a 9.10 ERA in September after returning from injury and only has averaged about 3 1/3 innings per start in that range. The Rangers bullpen is totally unreliable, too. I'm sure enough about the Rays that we're gonna play the run line (-1.5, +140) to swing the odds.
Tampa Bay, did you go win 99 games during the regular season to give it all up in two games? This is how your season ends? The Rays had chances in Game 1 but Jordan Montgomery is in a zone for his last five starts. That’s it, and the errors and bad fielding contributed. The Rays didn’t even get to expose the Rangers bullpen. They were cooked by then, but today is a new day. Nathan Eovaldi gave up seven runs in his last start and five in his previous start while the Rays have won Zach Eflin’s last six starts. Rays take a stand, get the win.
Jordan Montgomery held the Rays in check during Game 1, pitching seven scoreless innings. Don’t expect Nathan Eovaldi to have similar success. Over six starts since returning from a forearm injury, he has given up 21 runs and posted a 1.92 WHIP over 20 1/3 innings. The Rays will deploy Zach Eflin, who had a 3.30 ERA and 1.04 WHIP at home this season. Look for the Rays to even up the series with a victory.
The Rays certainly can't play any worse than they did in Game 1, when they committed four errors in a 4-0 loss. I'm betting on Tampa Bay to even the series behind Zach Eflin, who went 11-4 with a 3.30 ERA at home while fanning 120 in 103.2 innings. Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi was dominant until straining his right forearm in July. Since returning Sept. 5, Eovaldi sports a 9.30 ERA with seven homers allowed in 20.1 innings. Tampa Bay also has an edge in the bullpen, as Rangers relievers posted a 4.67 ERA over the last two months.
Can't say I think the Rays are all that great right now with all their injuries but it's obviously all hands on deck Wednesday with the season on the line and their bullpen is very good. Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi has not been the same guy since coming off the IL as his ERA in September was 9.30. Tampa's Zach Eflin is 11-4 with a 3.30 ERA at home. The Rays can't possibly play worse than today when they were shut out and set a season high with four errors in losing their sixth straight playoff game. They are very overdue to win one.