The Tampa Bay Rays (34-38) travel to face off against the Minnesota Twins (40-32) on Tuesday, June 18th. This game will be played at Target Field in Minneapolis and televised on BSSUN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. First pitch is set for 6:40 CT.
Rays vs Twins
Heading into their last game vs. the Braves, the Rays closed out the series with an 8-6 win. Leading up to the game, they were the slight favorite at +105 on the money line. It was a big 4th inning that really turned things in their favor, as they scored four runs in the inning. The Braves could only score one run in the 4th and added another two runs in the 6th.
Zach Eflin put together a good start for the Rays, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up just three runs on seven hits. He only had one walk and finished the game with seven K’s. Brandon Lowe was hot at the plate, going 2/3 with a homer and four RBIs.
Tampa Bay is on the road today vs. the Twins, and they are 34-38 overall, putting them 5th in the AL East. Currently, they trail the Yankees by 15 games in the division. The Rays have gone just 10-17 in AL East matchups this year.
The Rays dropped two of three games in their series vs. the Braves and are just 3-7 across their last 10 games. So far, they have gone 19-23 at home compared to 15-15 on the road. As the favorite, Tampa Bay is 21-20 and 13-18 as the underdog. Tampa Bay’s overall series record is 10-11-2 this year.
When the Rays win, they win big, with an average run margin of 2.3 runs per game. When they lose, they lose big, with an average run margin of -3.9 runs per game. Their overall run line record is 29-43, with a -1.0 run differential per game. They are 16-14 against the run line on the road and 13-29 against the run line at home.
The Tampa Bay Rays are on the road today against the Minnesota Twins with an over/under line of 8 runs. The combined run average in their games this season is 8.7, and their over/under record is 37-33. The average over/under line in their games is 8 runs, and when the line is set at 8, their record is 10-9. So far this season, 43.1% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8 runs, and their current over streak is at 3 games.
Aaron Civale Gets The Start For The Rays
Right-hander Aaron Civale is getting the start for the Rays today as he faces the Twins on the road. He has made 14 starts this season and has a record of 2-5 with an ERA of 5.20. Civale’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.33, and he has turned in three quality starts. In his most recent outing, Civale finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in 5 2/3 innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least four earned runs in three straight starts. Opponents are batting .265 off Civale this season.
Rays Offense Breakdown
For the season, the Rays are averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 27th in the league. They have been even worse at home, averaging just 3.7 runs per game. As a team, the Rays have a collective batting average of .232, which is 18th in the league, and they are also near the bottom of the league in terms of home runs and slugging percentage.
Isaac Paredes has been a bright spot for the Rays so far this season, as he is batting .281 and leads the team with 10 home runs. His 38 RBIs are also the best on the team. Yandy Diaz has gone 8/26 in his last six games and is currently on a 10-game hitting streak. Over this stretch, he has scored two runs and driven in one.
The Twins’s offense was hot right out of the gates in their most recent game vs. the Athletics, closing out their series with an 8-7 win. After allowing three runs to the Athletics in the top of the 2nd, the Twins responded with three runs of their own. Minnesota went on to add another two runs in the 3rd inning.
Chris Paddack got the start for the Twins, going 2 1/3 innings, and took the loss. He really struggled on the mound, giving up five earned runs on five hits and issuing a walk. The Twins’s offense picked up Paddack, going 8/14 with three homers.
Minnesota is hosting the Rays today with an overall record of 40-32, and they have won five straight games. The Twins are 3rd in the AL Central, trailing the Guardians by 5.5 games. So far, they have gone 15-11 in divisional matchups. Minnesota’s five-game winning streak came after they swept the Athletics in a four-game series.
As the favorite, the Twins have been good this year, putting together a mark of 31-16. They are 9-16 when coming into a game as the underdog. At home, the Twins are 22-14 compared to 18-18 on the road. Heading into today’s game, the Twins’ overall series record is 13-8-2, and they have won two straight series.
Minnesota has been a tough team to bet on this season, as they are just 33-39 against the run line. They have been a better bet on the road, where they are 18-18 against the run line compared to 15-21 at home. The Twins have an average run margin of 0.2 runs per game this season, and they are 21-26 against the run line as the favorite.
The Twins are playing at home against the Rays, and the over/under line for the game is set at 8 runs. The combined run average for Twins games this season is 9.1 runs, and their over/under record is 32-38. When the over/under line is set at 8 runs, the Twins have gone 4-10-2 in those games. Overall, 43.1% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8 runs.
Pablo López Gets The Start For The Twins
Pablo López will be looking to build off his last outing, where he gave up just two earned runs in five innings of work. In that start, he picked up the win. Looking back over his last four outings, López has alternated between wins and losses. His overall record for the season is 6-6, and he has an ERA of 5.33. Opposing batters are hitting .254 off López this season. The right-hander has made six quality starts this year and is averaging 9.95 strikeouts per nine innings. For the season, he has given up 14 homers.
Twins Offense Breakdown
Carlos Santana and Ryan Jeffers are both among the league leaders in home runs for the Twins this season, but both players are hitting just .235 and .233, respectively. However, Santana does lead the team with 36 RBIs. Willi Castro has been a solid contributor at the plate, batting .261 and has an OBP of .350. Castro has also gone deep five times this season.
Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis have been swinging the bat well for the Twins of late, with Correa hitting .583 with three homers in his last five games, and Lewis is also on an eight-game hitting streak. Lewis has three homers in his last four games and is 8/16 during his current streak.
Rays vs Twins Prediction
We see the Twins taking this one at home with a final score of 6-4. However, with the Twins being -162 on the money line, we actually like the over in this one. You can get the over at 8 runs, and we have this one finishing with 10 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Pablo Lopez is a great option in terms of fantasy. We have him finishing with eight strikeouts, and he has the highest strikeout projections of any starter in today’s slate. For Aaron Civale, we have him finishing with five K’s.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:June 18, 2024 Rays, Twins