Rays vs. Pirates Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, May 2, 2023

The Tampa Bay Rays (23-6) host the Pittsburgh Pirates (20-9) at 6:40 PM ET Tuesday in a meeting between two of the league’s best hitters. Randy Arozarena is batting .327 this year (seventh in the league) for the favored Rays (-163), while Bryan Reynolds ranks 10th in the majors with a .320 average for the underdog Pirates.

Tampa Bay’s Javy Guerra gets the start, and he’ll go against Pittsburgh’s Roansy Contreras.

Rays vs. Pirates Odds

• Rays odds to win: -163
• Pirates odds to win: +139
• Spread: Rays -1.5
• Total: 8.5 runs

Rays vs. Pirates Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

• Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
• Time: 6:40 PM ET
• TV: BSSUN

Who Will Win Rays vs. Pirates?

Rays and Pirates Betting Trends

The Rays have compiled a 23-5 record in games they were favored on the moneyline (winning 82.1% of those games).

When it has played as moneyline favorites with odds of -163 or shorter, Tampa Bay has a record of 16-2 (88.9%).

This season, the Pirates have won 13 out of the 21 games, or 61.9%, in which they’ve been the underdog.

Pittsburgh has a record of 3-1 when it’s set as an underdog of +139 or more by oddsmakers this season.

The Rays have had an over/under set by oddsmakers 29 times, and have combined with opponents to go over the total in 16 of those games (16-10-3).

Games involving the Pirates have gone over the total set by bookmakers in 14 of 29 chances this season.

Rays Stats & Insights

The Rays score the most runs in baseball (195 total, 6.7 per game).

The Tampa Bay Rays lead baseball with 61 total home runs, averaging 2.1 per game.

The Rays lead MLB with a .281 batting average.

Tampa Bay’s 8.6 strikeouts per game rank 14th in the majors.

The 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Rays pitching staff ranks 14th in MLB.

Tampa Bay’s 3.10 team ERA leads all MLB pitching staffs.

Pirates Stats & Insights

The Pirates have scored 156 runs this season, which ranks fifth in MLB.

Pittsburgh’s 34 home runs rank 12th in Major League Baseball.

The Pirates have a team batting average of .264 this season, which ranks fifth among MLB teams.

Pittsburgh ranks sixth in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 7.9 Ks per contest.

The Pirates have an 8.7 K/9 this season as a pitching staff, which ranks 19th in the majors.

Pittsburgh pitchers have a combined ERA of 3.59 ERA this year, seventh-best in baseball.

Rays Key Players to Watch

Guerra takes the mound for his first start of the season for the Rays.

Arozarena leads Tampa Bay in batting average (.327), home runs (seven) and runs batted in (28) this season.

Yandy Diaz is slugging .585 this season, with a team-best seven homers while driving in 16 runs.

Wander Franco has 33 hits this season and a slash line of .300/.369/.545.

Josh Lowe has collected 26 hits this season and has an OBP of .398. He’s slugging .618 on the year.

Pirates Key Players to Watch

Contreras (3-1) will take to the mound for the Pirates and make his sixth start of the season.

Reynolds paces the Pirates in runs batted in (23) and has a team-best batting average of .320.

Andrew McCutchen is batting .256 with five doubles, five home runs and 15 walks.

Carlos Santana is hitting .276 with nine doubles, two home runs and 13 walks.

Ke’Bryan Hayes is hitting .231 with eight doubles, two triples, a home run and 10 walks.

Rays and Pirates Injuries

Rays: Tyler Glasnow: 15 Day IL (Oblique), Jeffrey Springs: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Shane Baz: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Shawn Armstrong: 60 Day IL (Neck), Andrew Kittredge: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Pete Fairbanks: day-to-day (Undisclosed), Yandy Díaz: day-to-day (Shoulder)

Pirates: Rob Zastryzny: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Chase De Jong: 15 Day IL (Knee), Oneil Cruz: 60 Day IL (Ankle), Ji-Man Choi: 60 Day IL (Achilles), Wil Crowe: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jarlin García: 60 Day IL (Arm), Max Kranick: 60 Day IL (Elbow), JT Brubaker: 60 Day IL (Elbow)

Rays vs. Pirates Prediction

Score Prediction: Rays 6, Pirates 3

Total Prediction: Over 8.5 runs

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