Arizona Diamondbacks at Tampa Bay Rays
Over/Under: 7.5
First pitch: 10:10 a.m. PT
Probable pitchers: Robbie Ray (2-1, 3.79 ERA) vs. Charlie Morton (3-0, 2.52 ERA)
Somewhat lost in Tampa’s MLB-leading 2.41 ERA as a pitching staff has been the tremendous offseason acquisition of Charlies Morton.
While most get caught up in the club’s outstanding 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation comprised of reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and baseball’s ERA leader Tyler Glasnow, don’t forget about the No. 3, as Morton has proven to be a great return on the investment made in him thus far.
The 12-year veteran currently ranks fifth in the AL with a 2.52 ERA. In the process, opponents have hit only .187 off the right-handset, which is the third-lowest such mark in the league.
Not only that, Morton’s striking out more batters per nine innings than he was in Houston — where he solidified himself as an upper echelon strikeout artist the past two seasons — logging 10.98 K/9 through his first seven starts.
Morton’s counterpart in this series finale, Ray, also knows a little something about racking up the K’s. In fact, he’s registered a double-digit amount per nine in each of the last three years. This season, that number currently sits at a healthy 10.42 K/9, to go along with his usual solid pitching.
That tendency for punch-outs could really come in handy this afternoon at The Trop, as the Rays strike out at an alarming rate when facing left-handed pitching. Specifically, the Rays have been on the receiving end of 98 K’s in just 287 at-bats with a southpaw on the hill — or once every 2.93 ABs. That is not good and far from common.
Bettors on the under here will want to get this bet in right away with there only being potential the total goes down. Play: UNDER 7.5 (-120)
Yesterday’s Result: Marlins-Cubs Under 6.5 (“loss”)
Zylbert’s 2019 MLB Over/Under Betting Record*: 20-19-1, -1.25 units
*Each bet graded as if it were to win 1 unit
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