LA Angels (54-53) at Tampa Bay (55-53)
When: Tuesday, July 31st 2018
Where: Tropicana Field, St Petersburg, FL
Time: 7:10 ET | TV: FS West, FS Sun
Opening Odds: Los Angeles -125/7.5
The American League Wild Card race looks like it will be the New York Yankees against either the Seattle Mariners or Oakland Athletics. After that, the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays are still within single-digits, but will need to go on a run soon, and the two will begin a three-game series on Tuesday from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays were thoroughly embarrassed over the weekend, losing the last three of a four-game series to the lowly Baltimore Orioles by a combined 37-12. C.J. Cron blasted a pair of solo homers in Sunday’s 11-5 setback, but is just 3-for-17 this season against an Angels team with which he spent his first four seasons in the majors. Los Angeles reeled-off four-straight victories by scoring 38 runs, but dropped the finale Sunday after allowing seven in the first inning en route to an 8-5 setback to Seattle. Justin Upton stayed hot by belting a two-run homer Sunday and is 10-for-18 with five RBIs and as many runs scored in his last four games. He isn’t the only hot Angel, as Mike Trout is 9-for-29 with four homers, nine RBIs and 14 walks in 10 games since the All-Star break, while infielder David Fletcher is 15-for-35 with eight runs scored in his last nine.
Pitchers: Angels – Tyler Skaggs (8-6, 2.62 ERA) | Rays – Ryne Stanek (1-3, 2.43)
Tyler Skaggs has been on a roll of late, posting a 1.44 ERA in his last eight outings after allowing one earned run on four hits over six innings of an 11-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Skaggs struck out a season-high nine batters in that games and K’d seven while permitting one run over six innings of a loss to the Rays on May 17th. He is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two career outings versus Tampa Bay.
Ryne Stanek will get another two-inning start at most and is 0-2 with a 2.38 ERA in 15 starts this season. Stanek will likely give way to left-hander Ryan Yarbrough and right-hander Austin Pruitt after that. He struggled in his lone appearance versus the Angels this season, allowing a two-run homer to Trout on May 19th before exiting without retiring a batter.
It’s a good thing the Rays had a day off on Monday after the pitching staff got hammered over the weekend. Still, rest won’t help them against this Angels lineup that has been red-hot and Skaggs has just been too good to lose this one.
Pick: Angels -125
BETTING TRENDS:
- Angels are 4-1 in their last 5 overall.
- Angels are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Angels are 7-3 in their last 10 games following a loss.
- Angels are 11-5 in their last 16 games on astroturf.
- Angels are 7-18 in their last 25 games following an off day.
- Angels are 5-15 in their last 20 road games.
- Angels are 2-6 in their last 8 vs. American League East.
- Angels are 4-14 in their last 18 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Angels are 2-7 in their last 9 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Angels are 2-8 in their last 10 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Angels are 2-10 in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Angels are 1-7 in their last 8 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Angels are 4-0 in Skaggs’ last 4 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Angels are 6-2 in Skaggs’ last 8 starts.
- Angels are 8-3 in Skaggs’ last 11 road starts.
- Angels are 5-2 in Skaggs’ last 7 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Angels are 1-4 in Skaggs’ last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Rays are 6-0 in their last 6 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Rays are 8-1 in their last 9 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Rays are 10-2 in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Rays are 10-2 in their last 12 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Rays are 5-1 in their last 6 Tuesday games.
- Rays are 20-7 in their last 27 games on astroturf.
- Rays are 20-7 in their last 27 home games.
- Rays are 2-5 in their last 7 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rays are 2-6 in their last 8 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rays are 1-5 in their last 6 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rays are 1-7 in their last 8 games following an off day.
- Rays are 0-6 in their last 6 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rays are 5-2 in Stanek’s last 7 home starts.
- Rays are 5-2 in Stanek’s last 7 starts on astroturf.
- Rays are 2-5 in Stanek’s last 7 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Rays are 2-5 in Stanek’s last 7 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rays are 1-4 in Stanek’s last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Rays are 1-4 in Stanek’s last 5 starts vs. American League West.
- Rays are 1-4 in Stanek’s last 5 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rays are 1-8 in Stanek’s last 9 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Angels last 4 vs. American League East.
- Under is 4-0 in Angels last 4 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 10-2-1 in Angels last 13 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 9-2-1 in Angels last 12 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Angels last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 4-1 in Angels last 5 overall.
- Under is 8-2-1 in Angels last 11 on astroturf.
- Over is 4-1 in Angels last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 7-2-1 in Angels last 10 road games.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Angels last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 6-2 in Angels last 8 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Angels last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 7-3 in Angels last 10 games following an off day.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Skaggs’ last 6 Tuesday starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Skaggs’ last 5 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2-2 in Skaggs’ last 10 starts vs. American League East.
- Under is 5-2 in Skaggs’ last 7 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 5-0-1 in Rays last 6 vs. American League West.
- Under is 8-1 in Rays last 9 Tuesday games.
- Under is 6-1-1 in Rays last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-1 in Rays last 6 games following an off day.
- Under is 15-4-2 in Rays last 21 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 9-3-1 in Rays last 13 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 6-2 in Rays last 8 games following a loss.
- Over is 6-2 in Rays last 8 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 25-9-2 in Rays last 36 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 5-2 in Rays last 7 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 7-3 in Rays last 10 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 9-4 in Rays last 13 overall.
- Under is 9-4-1 in Rays last 14 on astroturf.
- Under is 9-4-1 in Rays last 14 home games.
- Under is 11-5 in Rays last 16 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-0-1 in Stanek’s last 7 starts on astroturf.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Stanek’s last 4 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Stanek’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 6-0-1 in Stanek’s last 7 home starts.
- Under is 5-1 in Stanek’s last 6 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Stanek’s last 9 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Stanek’s last 9 starts overall.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Stanek’s last 5 starts vs. American League West.
- Under is 5-0-1 in the last 6 meetings in Tampa Bay.
- Under is 12-3-3 in the last 18 meetings.
- Angels are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Tampa Bay.
- Angels are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings.
