Rays vs. Pirates Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Randy Arozarena, batting .325 this season, leads the Tampa Bay Rays (24-6) into a matchup with one of the league’s other top hitters, Bryan Reynolds (.330 AVG) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (20-10). Arozarena and the Rays are -219 favorites on the moneyline for the matchup at Tropicana Field, beginning at 6:40 PM ET live on BSSUN.

Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan gets the start, and he’ll go against Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller.

Rays vs. Pirates Odds

• Rays odds to win: -219
• Pirates odds to win: +182
• Spread: Rays -1.5
• Total: 7 runs

Rays vs. Pirates Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

• Date: Wednesday, May 3, 2023
• Time: 6:40 PM ET
• TV: BSSUN

Who Will Win Rays vs. Pirates?

Rays and Pirates Betting Trends

The Rays have been favored on the moneyline 29 total times this season. They’ve gone 24-5 in those games.

Tampa Bay has played eight times as moneyline favorites with odds of -219 or shorter, and claimed a victory in each game.

This season, the Pirates have been the underdog 22 times and won 13, or 59.1%, of those games.

Pittsburgh has played as an underdog of +182 or more once this season and won that game.

In the 30 games in which oddsmakers have set an over/under for the Rays, they have combined with opponents to go over the total 16 times (16-11-3).

The Pirates and their opponents have gone over the total this season in 14 of their 30 opportunities.

Rays Stats & Insights

The Rays have the most productive offense in MLB play scoring 6.6 runs per game (199 total runs).

The Tampa Bay Rays have hit an MLB-leading 62 home runs, averaging 2.1 per game.

The Rays have a league-best .280 batting average.

Tampa Bay’s 8.4 strikeouts per game rank 12th in baseball.

The 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Rays pitching staff ranks 15th in MLB.

Tampa Bay’s 3.03 team ERA is No. 1 among all league pitching staffs.

Pirates Stats & Insights

The Pirates have scored 157 runs this season, which ranks seventh in MLB.

Pittsburgh has hit 34 homers this season, which ranks 14th in the majors.

The Pirates rank seventh in MLB with a .261 team batting average.

Pittsburgh has shown good bat-to-ball skills at the plate this season with the sixth-best strikeout rate (7.9 per game) among MLB offenses.

The Pirates average the 18th-most strikeouts per nine innings (8.7) in the league this season.

Pittsburgh has pitched to a 3.62 ERA this season, which ranks eighth in baseball.

Rays Key Players to Watch

McClanahan (5-0 with a 2.12 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings pitched) gets the start for the Rays, his seventh of the season.

Arozarena leads Tampa Bay in home runs with seven, runs batted in with 28 and his batting average of .325 is also best on his team.

Yandy Diaz’s seven home runs are most among Tampa Bay batters. He’s driven in 16 runs this season while slugging .579.

Wander Franco is slashing .301/.373/.540 this season for the Rays.

Josh Lowe has 26 hits and an OBP of .398 to go with a slugging percentage of .618 this season.

Pirates Key Players to Watch

Keller (3-0) will take the mound for the Pirates, his seventh start of the season.

Reynolds has accumulated a team-best batting average of .330 and paces the Pirates in runs batted in (23).

Andrew McCutchen is hitting .247 with five doubles, five home runs and 17 walks.

Carlos Santana is hitting .267 with nine doubles, two home runs and 13 walks.

Connor Joe is hitting .298 with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and 11 walks.

Rays and Pirates Injuries

Rays: Pete Fairbanks: 15 Day IL (Forearm), 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), Josh Fleming: day-to-day (Foot)

Pirates: Rob Zastryzny: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Chase De Jong: 15 Day IL (Knee), Ji-Man Choi: 60 Day IL (Achilles), Oneil Cruz: 60 Day IL (Ankle), 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 4, Pirates 3

Total Prediction: Under 7 runs

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