Tampa Bay Rays (16-18) vs Philadelphia Phillies (19-15)
Game Info: Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 7:05 pm (George M. Steinbrenner Field)
The Line: Betting Odds: Tampa Bay Rays +102 / Philadelphia Phillies -122 — Over/Under: 8
In this article, we will formulate a Phillies vs Rays prediction for this MLB game on Tuesday, May 6, at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this MLB matchup.
Philadelphia Phillies Betting Preview
The Philadelphia Phillies (19-15, 6-9 Away) bounced back from a five-game losing skid with three consecutive series wins, as they beat the Cubs, Nationals, and Diamondbacks. The Phillies couldn’t get the sweep of the D-backs after losing 11-9 in extra innings in Game 3. Weston Wilson led the team with three RBI, while Ranger Suarez pitched for 3.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing seven runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Jose Alvarado took the loss.
This year, the Phillies average 4.68 runs per game (12th in the MLB) on a .255/.336/.399 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Phillies’ staff has a 3.96 ERA (15th) and 1.30 WHIP (21st). Kyle Schwarber leads the Phillies with a .242 batting average, 11 home runs, and 26 RBI this season.
Zack Wheeler will take the mound for the Phillies on Tuesday. The 34-year-old right-hander has a 2-1 record in seven starts this year with a 3.48 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 44.0 innings.
Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview
The Tampa Bay Rays (16-18, 9-13 Away) were swept by the Kansas City Royals and lost four games in a row, including Game 1 of the latest series against the New York Yankees, but won the next two to clinch the series. In the deciding 7-5 victory in Game 3, Jonathan Aranda led the team with three RBI, while Taj Bradley got the win after allowing two runs on four hits with one strikeout and three walks over 5.1 innings of work.
This season, the Rays average 3.85 runs per game (22nd in the MLB) on a .245/.312/.369 slash line. Regarding pitching, the Rays’ staff has a 3.56 ERA (8th) and 1.17 WHIP (6th). Jonathan Aranda leads the Rays with a .316 batting average, five home runs, and 17 RBI this season.
The projected starting pitcher for the Rays is Drew Rasmussen, who is 1-2 in six starts this season, with a 2.64 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 30.2 innings.
Total Runs Facts
- Five of the Phillies’ last six games as favorites against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Four of the Rays’ last five home games against NL East opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the Rays’ last eight games against NL East opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Phillies’ last five road games against AL East opponents.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Rays rank 6th in the league for runs allowed this season (128).
- The Rays rank T24th in the league for home runs this season (28).
- The Phillies are one of only four teams in the league to rank top 10 in both strikeouts and on-base percentage this season.
- The Phillies rank T5th in the league for triples this season (6).
Phillies vs Rays Prediction
The Phillies won six of the previous ten H2H encounters and are currently on a six-game winning streak over the Rays. Four of those six games went Under, which was the case in seven of Tampa Bay’s last ten games. I am backing Under in this one as well, mostly due to a pitching matchup. Zack Wheeler allowed two runs in each of his previous three starts, and given how the Rays are batting this year, I don’t think the hosts will score more than two off him on Tuesday. Drew Rasmussen struggled a bit in his last two starts after allowing four runs in his opening four starts of the season, but I am sure he will bounce back here. Go with Under.