The Tampa Bay Rays picked up a win behind Shane McClanahan on Friday night, and they're looking to make it two straight against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.
Tampa Bay will send Zach Eflin (5-1, 3.38 ERA) to the mound against Brewers lefty Eric Lauer (4-4, 4.54 ERA).
The Rays have gone 6-1 in Eflin's seven starts this season, winning by two or more runs in three of them. They're set as massive favorites in this game, so how should we proceed on betting this matchup?
Brewers vs. Rays odds, run line and total
Brewers vs. Rays prediction and pick
Eflin has been everything Tampa could have asked for after signing him in free agency, allowing more than three runs in just two starts this season.
The only issue is they have been his last two starts, so it's possible he could be taking a bit of a step back after a strong start.
Still, I like the Rays to win this game easily because of their hitting against lefties this season.
Tampa Bay is second in MLB in OPS against left-handed pitching, and now they get to face Lauer, whose Fielding Independent Pitching suggests that he's gotten extremely lucky this season.
Lauer's FIP sits at 5.97, nearly 1.5 runs higher than his ERA. The regression is coming for the Brewers lefty, and I wouldn't be shocked if the best offense in baseball jumps all over him.
I'll take the Rays to cover the run line as favorites on Saturday.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
