Major League Baseball Odds – Oakland vs Tampa Bay

Two of the hottest teams in this young MLB betting season duke it out at Tropicana Field for the first of a three-game set on Tuesday night when the Oakland Athletics travel to meet the Tampa Bay Rays.

The A’s hit the road after playing 10 straight home games. They went 6-4 on that home stand, two losses of which were at the hands of the mighty New York Yankees. They took two out of three against Cleveland, but won those two games by a composite score of 21-0.

The Rays have the best record in baseball thanks to the fact that they boast the best offense in the game. They’re averaging almost six runs per game, and they’re fresh off of taking two out of three against the Blue Jays.

Oakland Athletics (12-8, +$372) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (14-5, +$872)

Game Date/Time: Tuesday, April 27th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: Cox Sports California, Sun Sports, XM

MLB Odds

• Oakland Athletics    +1.5 -130      +150 (Ben Sheets – R)
• Tampa Bay Rays    -1.5 +110      -170 (Wade Davis – R)
• Total                     8.5 O -115     8.5 U -105

GM Billy Beane took a huge calculated risk by signing RHP Ben Sheets to a $10M deal in the offseason. However, at least up to this point, the risk has been worth the reward.

Sheets may only be 1-1, but he has a stellar 2.74 ERA. His walk total is a bit high at 13, especially in relation to his strikeout total of 12.

He also hasn’t really proven to be able to pitch deep into games, but if the right-hander can throw six frames every single time out and not give up more than three runs in a start, someone is going to offer the Athletics a nice prize for Sheets at the trade deadline.

Manager Joe Maddon will hand the ball to RHP Wade Davis in this MLB betting battle.

Much like Sheets, this youngster has had some control issues, walking 11 batters in just 17 innings of work. However, he is 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA, which is quite suitable for a man who is only asked to be the fifth starter in a solid rotation.

Davis hasn’t pitched deeper than the sixth inning in any game. He got his first win of the year in his most recent start, as he tossed six scoreless innings in a 12-0 win over the White Sox in the Windy City last week.

MLB Insider Tip: Tampa Bay is 8-2 in its L/10 games following a win.

Maddon realizes the fact that the Rays would’ve been a playoff team last season had they played this well in the month of April. He’s got his squad believing that it can once again win the AL East.

The offense is just clicking on too many cylinders right now, and Sheets hasn’t quite proven enough to us yet for our support on the road in one of the toughest venues to play in baseball.

Look for Davis to pitch Tampa Bay to an MLB betting victory on Tuesday night.

My MLB Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays (Davis) < < Join NOW> >