Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians Prediction, 9/3/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians

Date: Sunday, September 3, 2023

Location: Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH

TV: Bally Sports Great Lakes

The Tampa Bay Rays (82-52) are on their way to Progressive Field on Sunday where they will attempt to defeat the Cleveland Guardians (64-70). The expected starting pitchers are Aaron Civale and Xzavion Curry.

As a team, the Tampa Bay Rays are putting up 5.4 runs per game, which puts them at 4th in MLB. They have earned a total of 718 runs and hold an OBP of .332. The Rays have tallied 227 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 194 balls out of the park. They have accrued 688 RBI's as well as 1,178 base knocks for the season, while their team batting average is sitting at .260. Tampa Bay is slugging .447 and have been rung up 1,171 times, while drawing a walk on 423 occasions.

Get all of our MLB Expert Picks

The Rays have compiled a team earned run average of 3.83 on the year (4th in MLB), and they have struck out 1,196 hitters. Rays pitchers have allowed 142 long balls and also 532 total runs (2nd in baseball). They have walked 370 opposing hitters and their FIP is 3.86 as a squad this season. Tampa Bay has surrendered 1,035 base knocks (7.8 per 9 innings) in addition to 505 earned runs. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 3.23 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.18.

The Rays have dispatched 433 relief pitchers to the hill this season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 150 base runners on the campaign and 27.3% of them ended up scoring. They have earned 37 saves on the season and have not converted 22 of their 59 save opportunities. The Rays relievers have a save percentage of 62.7% and stepped onto the hill in 117 save situations. The relief pitchers have tallied 57 holds for the season (27th in baseball). Rays relief pitchers have gone to the mound with players on base 97 times in addition to having 125 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Rays have converted 70.6% of balls in play into outs out of their 10,518 innings on the field, ranking them 4th in baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated 3,506 putouts so far this season, in addition to 1,175 assists and 55 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .988 which is 5th in professional baseball, and have a total of 97 double plays.

Civale has taken the ball for 455 innings and is sitting with 395 strikeouts during his pro baseball career. Civale (31-24 career mark) holds a FIP of 3.97 while he has gone up against 1,860 hitters in the major leagues. His earned run average is 3.76 (190 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.155. He has allowed 417 base hits (8.2 hits per nine innings) and has had 109 free passes.

The Cleveland Guardians have earned a team OBP of .310 and a team batting average of .248 so far this season. They have struck out on 950 occasions (30th in baseball) and are sitting with 1,132 base hits. Cleveland has accumulated 103 HRs so far this season and 508 RBIs. The Guardians have a team slugging % of .381 and they earn 4.07 runs per game (26th in baseball). They have hit 245 doubles, while taking a walk 382 times and putting up 545 runs.

The Guardians hold a team WHIP of 1.282 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.18 as a squad on the campaign. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 8.10 (1,081 strikeouts vs 426 walks). They have a ranking of 15th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,108. They have allowed 142 HR's and they relinquish 4.17 runs per 9 innings (6th in baseball). The Cleveland pitching staff have surrendered 554 runs on the campaign and come in with a team ERA of 3.85 (512 earned runs given up).

Cleveland has called on relievers to step onto the hill in 64 save opportunities and they have come away with 39 saves. They rank 20th in baseball holding a save percentage of 60.9%, and they have sent 440 relief pitchers onto the diamond over the course of the season. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 152 times in high leverage situations and on 116 occasions with base runners. Cleveland relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 22.0% out of their 164 inherited runners. With 147 save situations, the Guardians have compiled 78 holds and 25 blown saves.

The Cleveland Guardians have gotten 100 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .987 (9th in professional baseball). The Guardians have accrued 1,171 assists, 63 errors and have earned a total of 3,534 putouts over the course of the season. In 10,602 innings on the diamond, the Guardians are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 70.0% (7th in MLB).

Curry (3-4 win-loss record in his career) has a 4.28 earned run average while giving up 9.4 hits per 9 innings. His K/BB ratio is 2.07 and he has gone up against 379 opposing hitters in his career. He has allowed 42 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.358 and having a FIP of 4.5. So far in his pro baseball career, Curry has surrendered 92 base knocks while tallying 58 strikeouts in 88 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Cleveland

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here