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Rays Look to Keep Pace in AL East Race

Tampa Bay On Four-Game Streak

The Tampa Bay Rays try to extend their four-game winning streak when they face the host Cleveland Guardians in the third of a four-game series on Saturday night. The first pitch of this contest is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET at Progressive Field.

The Rays have won the first two games, including a 10-5 victory on Friday night. Tampa Bay is 59-39 and in second place in the AL East, trailing the first-place Boston Red Sox by a game and leading the third-place New York Yankees by eight games.

Austin Hedges can't make the catch Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Indians Picks
Jason Miller/Getty Images/AFP

Cleveland fell to 48-47 with Friday’s loss. The Indians are in second place in the AL Central standings, sitting nine games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox.

MLB odds have the Rays at -155, while the Indians are listed at +140. The over/under is set at 10 runs.

Fitting Right In

The Rays wanted to gain a little more power in their lineup in trading for Minnesota slugger Nelson Cruz, and they got just that in the newly-acquired player’s debut on Friday night. Cruz hit a solo home run, his 20th of the season, walked, and scored twice in the Tampa Bay win.

“Nelson is a hot hitter — and he’s been a hot hitter for 15 years,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said after Friday’s win. “He looks good in every uniform he’s worn, but I think he looks really good in a Rays uniform.”

The 41-year-old Cruz is batting .293 with 13 doubles, a triple, 51 RBIs, and 46 runs scored this season. He had hit at least 37 home runs in his last six seasons before hitting 16 in the shortened 2020 campaign.

Second baseman Brandon Lowe leads the Rays with 21 home runs this season, adding 14 doubles, 49 RBIs, and 51 runs scored. Austin Meadows has a team-high 23 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 54 runs scored.

Right-hander Drew Rasmussen will get the start for Tampa Bay as the team goes with a bullpen game. This is his second start and ninth overall appearance with the Rays, as he has yet to take a decision since coming to the team in a trade with Milwaukee in June. He has a 4.97 ERA and has struck out 17 and walked four in 12⅔ innings since the deal.

Rasmussen made 15 relief appearances for the Brewers in 2021, going 0-1 with a 4.24 ERA and earning one save. He had 25 strikeouts and 12 walks over 17 innings with the Brewers this season.

Needing Better

Right-hander J.C. Mejia will be on the mound. Mejia is 1-5 with a 7.53 ERA over eight starts and 11 overall appearances, striking out 35 and walking 13 over 34⅔ innings.

Mejia has struggled in July, going 0-3 with a 13.09 ERA in three starts. His last outing was against Houston on Monday, as he lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits, including a home run, while striking out eight and walking two. He lasted just 2⅔ innings against Tampa Bay in his previous start, giving up six runs on four hits, including a home run.

Third baseman Jose Ramirez had a big game for Cleveland in Friday’s loss, going 2-for-3 with a triple, a home run and four RBIs. That snapped a three-game hitless streak for Ramirez, who leads the Indians with 18 doubles, 20 home runs, 56 RBIs and 64 runs scored this season.

Shortstop Amed Rosario has a team-best .261 batting average, though he’s gone 2-for-19 over his last four games, including a 1-for-5 night on Friday. Rosario has 12 doubles, a team-high four triples, five home runs, 27 RBIs and 43 runs scored this season.

Rays Keep Rolling

Tampa Bay has had its way with Mejia and that should continue on Saturday night. The Rays are energized with the acquisition of Cruz, who makes Tampa Bay’s lineup even more dangerous just with his presence.

When making your MLB betting picks, take Tampa Bay to win on the road.

Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -155

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