Pittsburgh Pirates vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 3/31/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Monday, March 31, 2025

Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+220) Tampa Bay (-275)

George M. Steinbrenner Field is the site where the Tampa Bay Rays (80-82 last season) will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (76-86 last year) on Monday. The moneyline on this game has the Pirates at +220 and the Rays are at -275. The betting total comes in at 8. The men taking the mound are Carmen Mlodzinski and Drew Rasmussen.

The Pirates hit 236 doubles as a team and smacked 160 balls out of the park. Pittsburgh had a slugging percentage of .371 and struck out 1,506 times, while being walked on 485 occasions. As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates notched 4.1 runs per game, which ranked them 24th in baseball. They accounted for 643 runs batted in as well as 1,283 base knocks during the previous year, and their average at the plate was .234. They earned a total of 665 runs scored and held an OBP of .301.

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They had a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.63 and their pitching staff earned a collective WHIP of 1.31. Pirates pitchers gave up 166 home runs and also 739 total runs (21st in baseball). Pittsburgh surrendered 1,369 hits (8.6 per 9 innings) as well as 664 earned runs. The Pirates had a team ERA of 4.15 last season (20th in the league), and their staff struck out 1,356 batters. They walked 515 opposing batters and their FIP came in at 4.03 as a squad in the previous season.

Pirates relief pitchers entered the contest with runners on base 133 times as well as having 174 games in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers had 87 holds over the course of last season (13th in baseball). The Pirates relief pitchers earned a save rate of 59.7% and entered the game in 160 save situations. They accumulated 43 saves last season and did not convert 29 out of their 72 chances to get a save. The relief pitchers inherited 206 runners during the previous year with 34.0% of those players crossed home plate. The Pirates dispatched 513 relief pitchers to the hill for the prior year.

The Pittsburgh Pirates accounted for 4,316 putouts in the previous season, as well as 1,370 assists and 91 errors. Their fielding percentage was at .984 which was 20th in the majors, and had a total of 139 double plays. The Pirates turned 68.7% of balls hit into play into outs out of 12,948 innings on the field, which had them sitting 24th in the majors.

Mlodzinski (8-8 record in his career) sits with a FIP of 2.88 and he has gone up against 361 batters during his time in the majors. He has surrendered 69 base hits (7.2 hits per 9 innings) and has 37 walks. His ERA is 2.92 (28 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.230. Mlodzinski has thrown 86 innings and has tallied 80 K's during his pro baseball career.

Tampa Bay had 147 home runs over the course of last season to go along with 564 RBIs. They notched 245 two-baggers, while taking a walk 493 times as well as putting up 604 runs. The Tampa Bay Rays compiled an OBP of .302 and a batting average of .230 last year. The Rays held a team SLG% of .366 and they had an average of 3.73 runs per outing (29th in the league). They struck out on 1,485 instances (6th in MLB) and totaled 1,241 base knocks.

The Rays finished with a team WHIP of 1.202 in addition to having a FIP of 4.05 as a unit for the prior year. They were ranked 9th in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,286. The Tampa Bay pitching staff given up 663 runs over the course of last season while having an ERA of 3.77 (604 earned runs given up). Their K/BB ratio came in at 8.80 (1,406 strikeouts against 445 walks). They surrendered 196 dingers and they surrender 4.14 runs per 9 innings (9th in the league).

Tampa Bay had bullpen pitchers step onto the mound in 73 save chances and they tallied 51 saves. They were ranked 4th in the league holding a save rate of 69.9%, and they dispatched 542 bullpen pitchers onto the field last year. Their relief pitchers came in 205 times in high leverage situations in addition to 125 occasions with runners on. Tampa Bay relief pitchers had an inherited score rate of 23.5% of 183 inherited runners. Wrapping up the year with 187 save situations, the Rays accumulated 112 holds and also 22 blown saves.

In their 12,966 innings on the diamond, the Rays earned a defensive efficiency of 70.6% (6th in MLB). The Tampa Bay Rays turned 108 double plays and held a fielding percentage of .984 (21st in MLB). The Rays had 1,265 assists, 90 errors and accounted for 4,322 putouts last season.

In his career, Rasmussen has allowed 256 base knocks while totaling 301 strikeouts in 310 innings. Rasmussen (20-12 mark in his career) is the owner of a 2.96 earned run average and has surrendered 7.4 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded 102 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.090 and a FIP of 2.9. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.67 and he has faced 1,255 opposing batters during his MLB career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-275)

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