Tampa Bay Rays vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 7/8/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Friday, July 8, 2022

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-115) Cincinnati (-105)

The Cincinnati Reds (28-53) are hosting the Tampa Bay Rays (45-37) at Great American Ball Park on Friday. The moneyline on this game has the Rays at -115 and the Reds are coming in at -105. The over/under comes in at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start are Shane McClanahan and Luis Castillo.

Tampa Bay has a slugging rate of .380 and have struck out 713 times, while taking a walk on 243 occasions. They have earned 323 RBI's and 655 base knocks on the year, while their team batting average is sitting at .238. The Rays have earned 138 doubles as a team and have smacked 77 baseballs out of the park. They have earned 340 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .303. As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are scoring 4.2 runs per game, which is 22nd in baseball.

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Rays pitchers have surrendered 94 long balls and also 315 total runs (4th in MLB). They have walked 211 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 3.85 as a unit on the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.36 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.14. The Rays have a team earned run average of 3.29 so far this year (4th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 709 hitters.

Rays relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 76 times as well as having 102 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have tallied 52 holds on the season (10th in MLB). The Rays relief pitchers have recorded a save percentage of 53.7% and has entered the game in 94 save situations. They have earned 22 saves so far this year and have not converted 19 of 41 save chances. The relievers have inherited 108 runners so far this season and 21.3% of those players crossed home plate. The Rays have sent 293 relievers to the hill over the course of the season.

The Rays have converted 71.5% of balls hit into play into outs in their 6,573 innings on the field, which has them sitting at 6th in baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated 2,191 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 694 assists and 47 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .984 which has them ranked 19th in professional baseball, and have 60 double plays.

McClanahan has taken the mound for 221 innings and has earned 274 punch outs in his career. McClanahan (19-9 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 2.91 and he has gone up against 887 hitters in the major leagues. His earned run average is 2.68 (66 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.069. He has conceded 183 base hits (7.4 hits per nine innings) and has had 54 walks.

Cincinnati has recorded 74 long balls this year and 329 runs batted in. They have hit 127 two-baggers, while taking a walk 230 times and scoring 343 runs. The Cincinnati Reds hold an OBP of .307 and a team batting average of .238 so far this season. The Reds have a team SLG% of .374 and they are scoring 4.23 runs per game (21st in the league). They have struck out on 705 occasions (11th in MLB) and have notched a total of 633 hits.

The Reds have a team WHIP of 1.440 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.78 as a team for the season. Their K/BB ratio sits at 2.29 (696 strikeouts against 304 bases on balls). They are sitting at 25th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 713. They have given up 116 dingers and they allow 5.71 runs per 9 innings (30th in the league). The Cincinnati pitching staff have allowed 448 runs on the year while having an ERA of 5.47 (429 earned runs surrendered).

Cincinnati relievers have an inherited score percentage of 41.8% out of 134 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 68 times in high leverage situations and also on 84 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 58 save situations, the Reds have 32 holds and 11 blown saves. They are ranked 25th in MLB holding a save percentage of 57.7%, and they have dispatched 286 relievers onto the field over the course of the season. Cincinnati has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the game in 26 save chances and they have come away with 15 saves.

In their 6,360 innings on the field, the Reds are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 68.2% (26th in the majors). The Cincinnati Reds have gotten 47 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .984 (17th in pro baseball). The Reds have recorded 603 assists, 44 errors and have amassed 2,120 putouts this year.

In his pro baseball career, Castillo has surrendered 655 hits while earning 836 strikeouts in 771 innings pitched. Castillo (43-53 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a 3.66 ERA and has given up 7.6 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 314 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.213 and a FIP of 3.7. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.98 and he has gone up against 3,210 batters so far in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-115)

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