Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians Prediction, 9/2/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians

Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023

Location: Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH

TV: Bally Sports Great Lakes

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-135) Cleveland (+114)

The Tampa Bay Rays (82-52) are en route to Progressive Field on Saturday where they will attempt to beat the Cleveland Guardians (64-70). The line on this matchup has the Rays at -135 and the Guardians are priced at +114. The betting total comes in at 8.5. The starting pitchers will be Zack Littell and Logan Allen.

The Rays have earned 227 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 194 baseballs out of the stadium. Tampa Bay has a slugging percentage of .447 and have been rung up 1,171 times, while taking a walk on 423 occasions. As a unit, the Tampa Bay Rays are putting up 5.4 runs per outing, which has them at 4th in the league. They have compiled 688 runs batted in as well as 1,178 base knocks so far this season, and their batting average is sitting at .260. They have a total of 718 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .332.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.23 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.18. Rays pitchers have allowed 142 home runs and also 532 runs in total (2nd in baseball). Tampa Bay has allowed 1,035 hits (7.8 per 9 innings) and 505 earned runs. The Rays have compiled a team ERA of 3.83 so far this year (4th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 1,196 batters. They have walked 370 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 3.86 as a team over the course of the season.

The Rays have dispatched 433 relief pitchers to the mound for the year. The relievers have inherited 150 runners over the course of the season and 27.3% of those players ended up scoring. They have earned 37 saves so far this year and have blown 22 of their 59 chances to save the game. The Rays relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 62.7% and has entered the game in 117 save situations. The relief pitchers have 57 holds so far this season (27th in the league). Rays relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 97 times in addition to having 125 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Rays have transformed 70.7% of balls in play into outs out of their 10,689 innings on the field, which has them sitting 4th in pro baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated 3,563 putouts on the campaign, as well as 1,196 assists and 55 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .989 which puts them in 5th in the majors, and they have twisted 98 double plays.

Littell has taken the mound for 228 innings and has 202 punch outs so far in his career. Littell (16-9 career win-loss mark) holds a FIP of 4.54 while he has faced 966 batters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 4.18 (106 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.296. He has allowed 228 base hits (9.0 hits per nine innings) and has 68 walks.

The Cleveland Guardians hold an OBP of .310 and a batting average of .248 this season. They have struck out on 950 instances (30th in baseball) and have earned 1,132 base knocks. Cleveland is sitting with 103 home runs so far this year to go along with 508 RBIs. The Guardians have a SLG% of .381 and they are scoring 4.07 runs per game (26th in the league). They have 245 two-baggers, while getting a free base 382 times as well as scoring 545 runs.

The Guardians have a WHIP of 1.282 with a FIP of 4.18 as a unit on the campaign. They are sitting at 15th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 1,108. The Cleveland pitching staff have conceded 554 runs this year while having a team ERA of 3.85 (512 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.10 (1,081 strikeouts against 426 walks). They have allowed 142 homers and they relinquish 4.17 runs per 9 innings (5th in the league).

Cleveland has called on relief pitchers to enter the contest in 64 save opportunities and they have earned 39 saves. They are ranked 20th in MLB with a save rate of 60.9%, and they have dispatched 440 bullpen pitchers to the mound on the season. Their relievers have taken the field 152 times in high leverage situations and on 116 occasions with base runners. Cleveland relievers have an inherited score percentage of 22.0% out of 164 inherited base runners. Sitting with 147 save situations, the Guardians have recorded 78 holds in addition to 25 blown saves.

Out of their 10,773 innings played, the Guardians have earned a efficiency on defense of 70.1% (6th in the majors). The Cleveland Guardians have turned 103 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .987 (9th in baseball). The Guardians have recorded 1,187 assists, 64 errors and have a tally of 3,591 putouts for the season.

So far in his MLB career, Allen has surrendered 118 hits while tallying 68 K's in 96 innings. Allen (5-10 mark in his career) has a 5.89 ERA while allowing 11.0 hits per nine innings. He has allowed a total of 63 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.661 and having a FIP of 5.6. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.62 and he has faced 438 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 (-135)

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