The TAMPA BAY and the CLEVELAND will both be gunning for a victory on 8/31/2018 at 7:10 PM when they meet in a game matchup.
GAME: Tampa Bay Rays (71-62) at Cleveland Indians (76-57)
DATE/TIME: Friday, August 31 – 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
ROT | TEAM | PS | OU | RL |
917 | TAMPA BAY | 7.5 (-225) (-215) |
8 (-110) | 195 -215 |
918 | CLEVELAND |
TV: 7:10 PM
LINE: -215
PREDICTION: CLEVELAND , TAMPA BAY
Oddsmakers currently have the CLEVELAND listed as -215 point favorites versus the TAMPA BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 7.5.
Tommy Pham is beginning to flaunt some power after a slow start with his new team and hopes to continue the surge when the Tampa Bay Rays visit the American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians for the opener of a three-game set Friday night. Pham is 11-for-23 with a pair of homers and five RBIs in his last five games after going 2-for-22 in his first seven contests with the Rays following a trade deadline deal with St. Louis.
Tampa Bay has won nine of its last 10 games to sit on the fringe of the AL wild-card race, producing 37 runs over the past five contests, and manager Kevin Cash told reporters: “We’re getting a lot of contributions, a lot of good at-bats.” It will be difficult to continue that type of offense in the series opener as the Indians send two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to the mound against Rays fireballer Tyler Glasnow. Cleveland took the rubber match of a three-game set against Minnesota on Thursday afternoon 5-3, improving to 41-25 at home, and has won four consecutive season series against Tampa Bay (4-3 in 2017). Jason Kipnis is beginning to turn around a rough season while going 9-for-15 with two homers and seven RBIs over the last four games for the Indians, and is batting .318 with 15 RBIs in 30 career contests versus the Rays.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Tyler Glasnow (1-3, 4.18 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (16-7, 2.91)
Glasnow has yet to win in his first five outings since coming over from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline but has a 3.80 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old California native gave up three runs on five hits and three walks across five innings against Kansas City in a no-decision last Thursday. Glasnow faces Cleveland for the first time and is 1-2 with a 5.85 ERA on the road overall this season.
Kluber had an uncharacteristic outing against one of the major league’s worst offenses last Saturday, yielding five runs over 5 1/3 innings in a setback at Kansas City. The 32-year-old Alabama native had won his previous four decisions over five starts, posting a 2.21 ERA in that stretch. C.J. Cron is 3-for-5 with two doubles versus Kluber, who is 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA in eight career contests against Tampa Bay.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland C Yan Gomes, who was rested Thursday, is 11-for-23 with a homer during a six-game hitting streak.
2. Tampa Bay 2B/OF Brandon Lowe is 10-for-28 with a homer and eight RBIs in his last 10 games after starting his major-league career 0-for-19.
3. Indians LF Michael Brantley has recorded multiple hits in seven of his last games, going 15-for-43 in that stretch.
PREDICTION: Indians 5, Rays 2
STATS AND RECORDS
TEAM COMPARISON
W/L | Strk | Home | Away | East | Central | West | IL | |
Tampa Bay | 71-62 | W1 | 41-24 | 30-38 | 31-28 | 17-9 | 16-12 | 7-13 |
Cleveland | 76-57 | W1 | 41-25 | 35-32 | 10-11 | 40-20 | 14-18 | 12-8 |
LAST MEETING
Tampa Bay | Cleveland | |||||||
Date | Away | Home | Avg | HR | OPS | Avg | HR | OPS |
8/13/17 | CLE 4 | TB 3 | .133 | 1 | .469 | .235 | 2 | .797 |
PLAYER STATS
SEASON SERIES | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Batting | Player | Avg | Hits | OPS |
TB | N/A | |||
CLE | L. Martin | .222 | 2 | .556 |
Offense | Player | HR | Runs | RBI |
TB | N/A | |||
CLE | N/A | |||
Pitching | ERA | Avg | K | |
TB | 0.00 | .000 | 0 | |
CLE | 0.00 | .000 | 0 |
SEASON | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Batting | Player | Avg | Hits | OPS |
TB | M. Smith | .307 | 115 | .810 |
CLE | M. Brantley | .304 | 146 | .826 |
Offense | Player | HR | Runs | RBI |
TB | C. Cron | 25 | 58 | 60 |
CLE | J. Ramirez | 37 | 91 | 94 |
Pitching | ERA | Avg | K | |
TB | 3.70 | .257 | 1150 | |
CLE | 3.82 | .259 | 1233 |
25% Bonus via Western Union