A hot Baltimore Orioles outfit, now above .500 on the season, looks to keep the good time rolling when they visit the Rays for a three-game AL East series beginning Friday night. Tyler Wells, he of a 1.05 WHIP, goes for the O’s here against young Luis Patino for Tampa Bay.
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MLB Betting Odds
Friday’s baseball betting lines opened Tampa and Patino at around -115 over Baltimore and Wells, with an over/under of 7.5 runs. Early betting action then bumped the Rays to -120.
Orioles-Rays MLB Betting Preview
Baltimore just swept two games at the Cubs, winning 4-2 Tuesday and 7-1 Wednesday. The Orioles then enjoyed Thursday off.
Just before that, Baltimore swept four games from the Angels, and just before that, they swept three games from Texas. Go back just a bit further, and the Orioles ride a 10-game winning streak into Friday night.
At 45-44 overall, Baltimore still sits in last place in the AL East, 17 games behind the first-place Yankees. But the O’s have also now pulled to within a game and a half of Toronto and Boston in the battle for the No. 3 spot in the American League wild-card standings.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, just swept four games from the Red Sox, completing the sweep with a come-from-behind 5-4 victory Thursday. Just before that, the Rays got swept three games at Cincinnati, but just before that, they took two of three from Boston. Going back a bit further, Tampa is 3-1 over its last four series and 9-4 over its last 13 games.
At 49-40 overall, the Rays trail New York by 13 games in the AL East but also lead the AL wild-card race by a game and a half over second-place Seattle.
Tampa Bay leads the season series with Baltimore five games to four.
Friday’s Pitching Match-Up
Twenty-two-year-old Patino is expected to come off the injured list Friday to make his first start since April. He’ll also probably be on a short leash. Back in his season debut three months ago, he got two outs against Oakland, then left the game with a strained oblique. He recently made six rehab appearances in the Minors, allowing seven runs and 19 hits through 17 1/3 innings.
Last year Patino posted a 4.31 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP through 77 1/3 innings of work.
In his only career start against Baltimore, in May of last season, Patino allowed four runs and six hits through 3 1/3 innings, although Tampa Bay won that game 13-6.
Wells is only 4/17 on quality starts this season, but he’s actually been really good as of late. Last Friday against the Angels, he gave up three runs and six hits through just four innings, although the Orioles rallied to win that game 5-4. But over his four starts previous to that, he held opponents to just three runs and 12 hits through 22 innings.
Baltimore is 10-7 with Wells this season and 8-0 his last eight times out!
Over two starts this season against the Rays, Wells allowed seven run on five hits and four walks through just 6 1/3 total innings. The Orioles managed to split those two games.
Splits With the Sticks
Baltimore is batting .232 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .298 team OBP and a .388 team slugging percentage. But the Orioles have also scored at least five runs five times over their last nine games.
Tampa is slashing .233/.301/.376 against right-handed pitching. The Rays have also scored at least five runs five times over their last nine games.
The Bullpens
The Tampa Bay bullpen owns a 3.39 ERA this season, along with a 1.20 WHIP.
The Baltimore bullpen owns a 3.19 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.
- Get more details: Baltimore at Tampa Bay 7/15/22 Betting Stats
MLB Betting Trends
- The Orioles are 20-27 on the road this season and 27-30 against right-handed starters.
- The Rays are 29-17 at home and 38-28 against right-handed starters.
Totals Report
- The Under is 47-37 in Orioles games this season.
- The Under is 43-41 in Rays games.
- The Under is 23-20 at Tropicana Field this season.
- The Under is 9-6 with Wells this season.
