Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview/Prop Picks
22 August 2022
Time: 7:10 pm ET
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels 15.758; Tampa Bay 14.804
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Angels by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay (-216); 7
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+181); Under
The series between the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays begins today. The Angels, 52-69, rank fourth in the AL West after yesterday's 4-0 loss to the Detriot Tigers.
Through their last six games, the Angels have gone 1-5, a disappointing stretch, to be sure. They'll get no relief tonight as they head to Tampa Bay to face one of the best teams in the AL East.
The Tampa Bay Rays have a record of 65-55 and are 38-23 when playing at home. Ranking second in the AL East, the Rays aren't too far behind the New York Yankees.
After two straight wins over the Kansas City Royals, the Rays are looking for another. This four-game series is exactly what they need to give them an extra boost in the division.
Los Angeles Angels: Tucker Davidson gets the nod tonight
Problems in Los Angeles start with poor batting, which is strange due to the names on the roster. This season, the Angels have a .227 batting average and rank 26th in runs with 459.
They'll be without Shohei Ohtani today; Ohtani left yesterday's game with a stomach virus. With the 27th-ranked batting average, the Angels will have to rely on pitching to win this one.
Unfortunately, relying on pitching is going to be a big problem tonight. Tucker Davidson has a record of 2-3 as a starter with an ERA of 6.75. Through 25-1 innings, Davidson has allowed 25 hits and thrown 14 strikeouts.
He's also allowed two home runs in this time, which is also a big problem. We'll have to keep an eye on Davidson as he leads off today's game.
Tampa Bay Rays: Rays need to win the batting battle early
The key for the Rays to get a win over the Angels is to get their bats going early. If they can put a few runs on the board, they'll put a ton of pressure on the Angels.
This is similar to what happened in the Angels' last game. The Rays have struggled as well, especially at the plate, where they're batting .238 this season. Still, it's a better average than the Angels have.
Heavy hitters in the Rays lineup include Yandy Diaz and Randy Arozarena. Arozarena has a .254 average and leads the team in home runs (16) and RBIs (64).
Yandy Diaz has the best batting average on the team, with a .278 this season. On the mound tonight is Jeffrey Springs, who has a record of 5-3 with an ERA of 2.52.
Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays Betting Pick
The troubles the Angels have had this season continue to surprise us. This team is capable of being a strong squad, especially with players like Shohei Ohtani.
They come into this game as +181 underdogs, which we definitely understand. However, we believe that the Angels can win this game on the road against Tampa Bay.
They have a strong history against Tampa Bay, going 2-1 this season. In those games, the Angels have won 11-3 and 12-0, easily outscoring the Rays. Look for the Angels to get a strong start and win tonight's game.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: Los Angeles Angels +181, UNDER
Prop Picks
Tampa Bay (-140) UNDER 4.5 Runs
Tampa Bay is averaging 4.13 runs per 9 innings on offense, which ranks No. 23 in the league. That average decreases to 4.08 runs per 9 innings at home. Scores have gone UNDER in four of the Rays’ last five home games.
With Dunkel predicting an LA victory by the score of 3-2, take the Rays (-140) to finish UNDER their Vegas team total of 4.5 runs against the Angels.
Tucker Davidson (+105) UNDER 2.5 Earned Runs
Davidson has allowed 19 earned runs in 25.1 innings pitched this season for an ERA of 6.75. The LA left hander had an ERA of 3.00 (2 earned runs in 6 IP) in his last appearance.
With Dunkel predicting an Angels win while holding the Rays UNDER their Vegas run total, take Davidson (+105) to finish UNDER 2.5 earned runs allowed versus Tampa Bay.
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