Tampa Bay Rays vs Atlanta Braves Prediction, 7/17/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Atlanta Braves

Date: Saturday, July 17, 2021

Location: Truist Park in Cumberland, GA

TV: Bally Sports South

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-111) Atlanta (-111)

Josh Fleming and the Tampa Bay Rays (53-37, 2nd in AL East) head to Truist Park on Saturday where they'll take on the Atlanta Braves (44-45, 3rd in NL East). The odds on this contest have the Rays coming in at -111 and the Braves are at -111. The O/U is set at 7.5. The starting pitchers are Josh Fleming and Max Fried.

As a team, the Tampa Bay Rays are notching 4.9 runs per game, which puts them at 8th in MLB. They have a total of 440 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .315. The Rays have tallied 158 doubles as a team and have hit 110 balls out of the stadium. They have compiled 418 runs batted in as well as 700 base knocks on the season, and their average at the plate sits at .230. Tampa Bay has a slugging percentage of .396 and have been rung up 923 times, while drawing a walk on 342 occasions.

The Rays have a team earned run average of 3.50 on the campaign (7th in the league), and the staff has struck out 851 batters. They have walked 248 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 3.71 as a squad on the season. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.43 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.13. Rays pitchers have surrendered 101 home runs and 355 runs (8th in the league).

The Rays have sent 288 relief pitchers to the mound so far this year. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 92 runners so far this year with 30.4% of those players ended up crossing the plate. They have accumulated 24 saves this season and have blown 11 of their 35 save chances. The Rays relievers have compiled a save rate of 68.6% and has come into the game in 91 save situations. The bullpen are sitting with 54 holds so far this year (7th in MLB). Rays relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 74 times in addition to having 113 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Tampa Bay Rays have notched a total of 2,430 putouts this year, in addition to 799 assists and 43 errors. Their fielding rate is at .987 which has them sitting 4th in baseball, and they have twisted 582 double plays. The Rays have turned 71.1% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 7,290 innings, which has them sitting at 5th in pro baseball.

Fleming has pitched in 101 frames and has accumulated 67 strikeouts in his career. His ERA is 3.11 (35 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.046. He has allowed 82 base knocks (7.3 hits per 9 innings) and has 24 free passes. Fleming (12-4 career win-loss record) is the owner of a FIP of 4.19 and he has gone up against 405 opposing batters during his time in the majors.

The Braves have a team slugging percentage of .425 and they are recording 4.72 runs per contest (11th in baseball). They have 152 two-baggers, while taking a walk 327 times and putting up 420 runs. Atlanta has accumulated 123 home runs on the campaign to go along with 403 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 835 instances (7th in MLB) and are sitting with 695 base hits. The Atlanta Braves have accounted for an on-base percentage of .322 and a batting average of .238 on the campaign.

The Braves have a team WHIP of 1.317 in addition to having a FIP of 4.17 as a staff this year. They have a ranking of 16th in MLB as a staff in total hits conceded with 716. The Atlanta pitching staff have conceded 401 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 4.24 (365 earned runs given up). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 2.63 (796 strikeouts vs 303 bases on balls). They have given up 104 home runs and they relinquish 4.66 runs per 9 innings (17th in MLB).

Atlanta has had relief pitchers take the mound in 32 save opportunities and they have earned 19 saves. They are ranked 21st in MLB with a save rate of 59.4%, and they have dispatched 323 relievers to the hill on the year. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 130 times in high leverage situations in addition to 80 occasions with base runners. Atlanta bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 39.0% out of their 123 inherited runners. With 91 save situations, the Braves have compiled 58 holds and also 13 blown saves.

The Atlanta Braves have turned 53 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .986 (6th in baseball). The Braves have racked up 791 assists, 45 errors and have 2,322 putouts on the campaign. Out of their 6,966 innings on the diamond, the Braves have a defensive efficiency of 69.3% (18th in the majors).

So far in his MLB career, Fried has given up 348 hits and he has 361 strikeouts in 354 innings pitched. Fried (32-16 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a 3.76 earned run average and has given up 8.8 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 148 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.331 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.8. His K/BB ratio is 2.93 and he has faced 1,505 opposing hitters during his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-111)

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