Tampa Bay Rays vs Atlanta Braves Prediction MLB Picks 6/16/24

The Tampa Bay Rays and the Atlanta Braves meet Sunday in MLB action from Truist Park. Here’s a Tampa Bay Rays vs Atlanta Braves prediction. This will be the final installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game. We will examine:

• The Tampa Bay Rays recent form and player performance

• The Atlanta Braves recent form and player performance

• Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Tampa Bay Rays

• Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Atlanta Braves

• Recent betting trends in games played between the Rays and Braves

• A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Rays vs Braves game

Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview

The Rays played the Chicago Cubs in their last series. Tampa Bay lost 4-3 on Wednesday but otherwise took victories 5-2 and 3-2 to win that set. The Rays fell to Atlanta in the weekend opener 7-3, then on Saturday Tampa was out-hit 11-6 in a 9-2 loss. Starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot gave up five earned in 4.2 innings.

In the starter slot for the Sunday finale it’ll be the Rays’ Zach Eflin. This year in his 12 starts Eflin is 3-4 with a 4.06 ERA and 50 Ks in 68.2 innings. Eflin is 55-57 with a 4.26 ERA in 170 career games (158 starts).

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

Over on the Braves’ side, they lost to the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 and 4-2 in the first two games of their last set but managed a 6-3 win to stave off the sweep. Following their Friday victory over the Rays, on Saturday the Braves scored five in the fifth inning alone. Charlie Morton came away with 6.0 innings in the start with one earned on three hits and two walks.

It’ll be Hurston Waldrep in the starting pitcher role for the Braves on Sunday. In his lone start this year (the first of his career), Waldrep went 3.2 innings with one strikeout in a loss.

Rays vs Braves Injury Notes

Braves CF Michael Harris (hamstring) hit the 10-day Injured List Saturday. SP Spencer Strider could be back on the mound early next season following recovery from his recent surgery.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Rays’ last four road games against NL East opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Six of the Braves’ last seven day games as favorites have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last six games as home favorites against American League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Rays’ last six games against NL East opponents.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Austin Riley has recorded a Double in three of the Braves’ last four games at Truist Park against opponents that held a losing record.
• Marcell Ozuna has hit at least one home run in each of the Braves’ last three games as home favorites against AL East opponents.
• Marcell Ozuna has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Braves’ last four games against AL East opponents at Truist Park.
• Matt Olson has recorded at least one hit in each of the Braves’ last 12 games at Truist Park against AL opponents that held a losing record.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one Single in each of his last four appearances against AL East opponents that held a losing record.
• Sean Murphy has recorded at least one total base in each of his last nine appearances in day games against teams that held a losing record.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has scored at least one run in seven of his last eight home appearances against AL opponents that held a losing record.

Tampa Bay Rays Player Prop Facts

• Taylor Walls has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances in day games against NL teams that held a winning record.
• Josh Lowe has hit a home run in two of his last three appearances against NL opponents that held a winning record.
• Josh Lowe has recorded at least one RBI in eight of his last nine road appearances against NL opponents.
• Zach Eflin has recorded five or more strikeouts in six of his seven previous appearances against NL opponents that held a winning record.
• Brandon Lowe has scored at least one run in five of his last six appearances with the Rays as road underdogs against NL East opponents.
• Yandy Diaz has recorded at least one Single in each of the Rays’ last six games as underdogs.
• Amed Rosario has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 road appearances.
• Amed Rosario has recorded at least one total base in each of his last eight appearances with the Rays as road underdogs.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Atlanta Braves Prediction

I’ll stay with the Rays. Eflin has done pretty well over his last two starts—though he’s failed to register a decision in that time. Over that pair Eflin gave up four earned runs on 10 hits and zero walks in 9.2 combined frames. As for Waldrep, there’s nowhere to go but up after his first start against the Nats (3.2 innings; seven earned).

On Saturday the Rays had a pretty rough start from Pepiot and the bullpen couldn’t back him up either. Tampa Bay needs a good bounce-back on both sides Sunday.