Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 3/30/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Thursday, March 30, 2023

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Detroit (+185) Tampa Bay (-225)

The Detroit Tigers (66-96 last year) are en route to Tropicana Field on Thursday where they will attempt to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays (86-76 last season). The odds on this game have Detroit at +185 while Tampa Bay is sitting at -225. The total is 6.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Eduardo Rodriguez and Shane McClanahan.

The Tigers recorded 235 two-baggers as a unit and hit 110 baseballs out of the park. Detroit had a slugging percentage of .346 and were called out on strikes 1,413 times, while taking a walk on 380 occasions. As a squad, the Detroit Tigers scored 3.4 runs per game, which had them sitting at 30th in MLB. They recorded 530 RBI's in addition to 1,240 hits in the previous season, and their average at the plate was at .231. They tallied 557 runs scored and held an OBP of .286.

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The Tigers held a team earned run average of 4.05 over the course of the prior season (21st in MLB), and their staff struck out 1,195 hitters. They walked 511 opposing players and their FIP was 4.16 as a team over the course of last year. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.34 and the pitching staff had a collective WHIP of 1.30. Tigers pitchers allowed 167 home runs in addition to 713 runs in total (19th in baseball).

Tigers pitchers went to the mound with players on base 122 times and also had 168 contests in high leverage situations. The bullpen accumulated 93 holds last year (9th in MLB). The Tigers bullpen accumulated a save percentage of 67.9% and entered the game in 153 save situations. They compiled 38 saves in the prior season and blew 18 of their 56 chances to save the game. The relievers inherited 198 base runners during the previous year with 28.3% of those runners ended up scoring. The Tigers dispatched 581 relievers to the hill last season.

The Tigers turned 70.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 12,777 innings on the field, which ranked them 13th in professional baseball. The Detroit Tigers finished with 4,259 putouts for the previous season, as well as 1,404 assists and 93 errors. Their fielding percentage held at .984 which put them in 22nd in professional baseball, and accumulated 137 double plays.

Rodriguez (69-44 win-loss mark in his career) sits with a FIP of 3.88 and he has gone up against 4,040 opposing hitters in the majors. He has given up 918 base knocks (8.7 hits per 9 innings) and has 328 walks. His earned run average is 4.15 (437 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.315. Rodriguez has pitched in 947 frames and has earned 964 strikeouts in his career.

The Rays had a slugging percentage of .377 and they tallied 4.11 runs per game (21st in MLB). They hit 296 doubles, while taking a walk 500 times as well as putting up 666 runs. Tampa Bay compiled 139 long balls last season and 634 runs batted in. They were rung up on 1,395 occasions (12th in baseball) and recorded 1,294 base hits. The Tampa Bay Rays had a team on-base percentage of .309 in addition to a team batting average of .239 over the course of last season.

The Rays had a team WHIP of 1.145 and were the owners of a FIP of 3.68 as a squad over the course of last year. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 3.60 (1,384 strikeouts against 384 walks). They ranked 8th in MLB as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,260. They relinquished 172 dingers and they surrender 3.85 runs per 9 innings (6th in baseball). The Tampa Bay pitching staff conceded 614 runs over the course of last year while holding an ERA of 3.41 (544 earned runs yielded).

With 198 save situations, the Rays amassed 116 holds in addition to 36 blown saves. Tampa Bay had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 80 save chances and they converted 44 saves. Their bullpen pitchers stepped onto the mound 197 times in high leverage situations and also on 136 occasions with base runners. Tampa Bay relievers held an inherited score percentage of 25.1% of 179 inherited runners. They were ranked 28th in MLB with a save rate of 55.0%, and they sent 573 relievers to the mound last season.

Out of their 12,921 innings played, the Rays earned a defensive efficiency of 70.8% (7th in the majors). Tampa Bay Rays turned 110 double plays and owned a fielding percentage of .985 (14th in baseball). The Rays accrued 1,386 assists, 84 errors and a tally of 4,307 putouts over the course of last year.

Thus far in his career, McClanahan has given up 236 base hits while he has earned 335 punch outs in 289 innings pitched. He has given up a total of 94 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.074 and having a FIP of 3.1. He has a K/BB ratio of 4.47 and he has faced 1,158 opposing hitters during his MLB career. McClanahan (22-14 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a 2.92 ERA and has given up 7.3 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Detroit (+185)

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