The teams with the best record in the National League and the American League meet head-to-head on Friday night as the Atlanta Braves (58-28) visit the Tampa Bay Rays (57-33).
- Braves vs Rays Game Info
- Bra ves vs Rays Odds & Spread
- Braves vs Rays Betting Trends
- Braves vs Rays Prediction & Pick
- Braves vs Rays Best Bet
Braves vs Rays Game Info
- Date:'Friday, July 7, 2023
- Time:'6:40 p.m. ET
- Venue:'Tropicana Field — St. Petersburg, FL
- Coverage:'Apple TV+
The Braves enter Friday on a historic tear as they have won 18 of their last 20 games and are coming off a series win over the Cleveland Guardians. Meanwhile, the Rays find themselves in a tailspin as they have lost 11 of their last 17 games and just got swept at home by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Braves vs Rays Odds & Spread
- Moneyline:'ATL: (-102) | TB: (-116)
- Spread:'ATL: -1.5 (+146) | TB: +1.5 (-178)
- Total:'8.5 — Over: (-105) | Under: (-115)
The Rays enter this contest as slight home favorites on the moneyline per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 6:40 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 8.5 runs with the Under favored at -115 odds.
Braves vs Rays Betting Trends
- Atlanta is 8-2 straight up in its last 10 away games.
- The total has hit the under in six of Atlanta's last nine games.
- Tampa Bay is 1-5 straight up in its last six games against the NL East.
- The total has hit the over in four of Tampa Bay's last five games against Atlanta.
Braves vs Rays Prediction & Pick
This is a matchup between two teams that simply know how to win. Tampa Bay ranks second in run differential (+149) and fourth in team ERA (3.72), while Atlanta ranks third in run differential (+147) and second in team ERA (3.63). There's strength both at the plate and on the mound in this showdown.
A pair of veterans will face off as Charlie Morton draws the nod for the Braves and Tyler Glasnow gets handed the ball for the Rays. Morton has posted a 3.57 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 16 starts (8-6 record). Meanwhile, Glasnow has logged a 4.50 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across seven starts (2-2 record).
This game has toss-up written all over it, but I give a small edge to the road team. Tampa Bay has now lost five of its last six games against NL East opponents, while Atlanta has won seven of its last eight games against AL opponents. Momentum is a key factor when two great squads meet on the field.
Final Score Prediction:'Braves: 6 | Rays: 4
Braves vs Rays Best Bet
There's a lot to like about this game sneaking over the run total on Friday. After all, the total has hit the over in four of the last five matchups between the Rays and Braves. There have also been m ore than 8 total runs put on the board in four of Atlanta's last five games with Morton on the mound as well as in four of Tampa Bay's last five games with Glasnow on the mound. Trust the trends at Tropicana Field.