The Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Angels will face off in the second contest of a four-game series on Tuesday night.
The Rays took the first game with a 7-3 win on Monday and oddsmakers have them installed as slim +100 underdogs today.
We bring you our best free Rays vs. Angels picks and predictions for MLB betting action on Tuesday, May 4, with the first pitch scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET.
Rays vs Angels odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
MLB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonTwinSpires pegged Los Angeles a modest -114 favorite at the outset and rose to -124, then backed up slightly to -121, where the moneyline rests at 6 p.m. ET. The Angels are drawing 56 percent of tickets and 65 percent of cash. The total opened at 8.5 (Over -122) and is now 8.5 (Over -113), with 72 percent of tickets on the Over and 58 percent of money on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gameRays vs Angels betting preview
Starting pitchers
Shane McClanahan (0-0, 4.50 ERA): McClanahan has earned a second start after allowing two runs over four innings in his regular-season debut last week against Oakland. The 24-year-old southpaw entered this season as the Rays' No. 4 prospect and made four appearances in relief during the postseason last year, his first big league experience.
Alex Cobb (1-1, 7.16 ERA): The former Rays hurler has struggled since leaving Tampa Bay in 2018. He went 7-22 with a 5.10 ERA in three years with Baltimore before being traded to Los Angeles in February. In four starts with the Halos, Cobb has pitched to a 7.16 ERA with a WHIP of 1.78.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Rays: Ji-Man Choi 1B (Out), Peter Fairbanks RP (Out).
Angels: Shohei Ohtani SP/DH (Questionable), Tony Watson RP (Out), Dexter Fowler OF (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Rays are 29-11 in the last 40 meetings between these teams in Los Angeles. Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Angels.
Moneyline pick
The Rays won against the Angels last night to improve their record to 15-15. The Angels are flirting with .500 as well, currently sitting at 13-14 but coming off back-to-back losses against the Rays and Mariners.
McClanahan, Tampa Bay's rookie lefty, will look to build off his impressive first start. The 24-year-old has incredible stuff with a fastball topping out at 101 mph and a hard slider in the upper-80s.
The Angels have been one of the best hitting teams in the majors this season but have struggled against southpaws, batting just .226 with an OPS of .690. They have also gone just 1-6 in their last seven games against a left-handed starter.
Cobb will toe the rubber for L.A. and he has been awful over the last few years. He has allowed at least three runs in each of his four starts this season and opponents are batting .329 against him. Cobb is fresh off yet another poor performance, getting dinged for six hits and three runs in just two innings against the Rangers.
Although the Rays are just 24th in the majors with an OPS of .677, they hit much better on the road where they rank seventh with an OPS of .728. With Tampa Bay 6-1 in its last seven games on the road, expect the Rays to get to Cobb tonight and back them on the moneyline.
PREDICTION: Tampa Bay (+100)
Over/Under pick
Although McClanahan is dripping with potential, he's still very inexperienced, and throwing the ball with his high level of velocity can lead to trouble against power-hitting teams like the Angels.
Led by three-time AL MVP Mike Trout, the Halos are third in the majors with 1.29 home runs per game and rank fourth in OPS (.752).
That said, we have even less faith in the veteran Cobb who has looked very shaky over the last few years. Cobb's best years actually came with Tampa Bay but he has been brutal since he left the team as a free agent in 2018, pitching to a 5.25 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP in 45 starts since.
The Rays are 10-2 O/U in their last 12 games on the road and the Over has gone 5-1-1 in the last seven meetings between these teams. Take the Over again tonight.
PREDICTION: Over 8.5 (-110)
Rays vs Angels betting card
- ML Tampa Bay (+100)
- Over 8.5 (-110)
Picks made on 5/04/2021 at 12:10 p.m. ET
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