Usually, a team has a pretty good advantage in Major League Baseball when it plays at home. However, that’s not the case this year for the horrible Baltimore Orioles. They are huge MLB Betting underdogs on Thursday in a series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.

How to Bet Rays vs Orioles MLB Lines & Game Info

• When: Thursday, 7:05 PM ET
• Where: Camden Yards
• Probable pitchers (away/home): Ryan Yarbrough/Asher Wojciechowski
• TV: MLB Extra Innings
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• Radio: SiriusXM
• MLB Lines: Tampa Bay Rays -210 (Total 10)

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Weather Forecast

• Scattered Thunderstorms: 32°C/89°F
• Humidity: 49%
• Precipitation: 36%
• Cloud Cover: 62%
• Wind: 6 mph S
• Stadium Type: Open

Why Bet on Tampa Bay?

The Rays are 8-4 against the Orioles this season (4-2 at home, 4-2 on the road) and have won five of the last 7 games. The Rays have hit 21 HR in 12 games in the season series, including 12 HR in 6 games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Second baseman Joey Wendle felt renewed discomfort in his wrist while playing in a rehab game Tuesday night with Triple-A Durham. Wendle got Wednesday and may take a couple days off, which will at least slightly delay his return to the Rays’ active roster. He should be ready for activation around the end of August or beginning of September.

Outfielder Avisail Garcia will begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A Durham. It’ll probably be a short rehab stint for Garcia, who is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list on Saturday. The 28-year-old outfielder was sporting a .794 OPS with 17 home runs, 57 RBI, nine stolen bases, and 49 runs scored before suffering a minor oblique strain on August 13.

The Rays’ Ryan Yarbrough (11-3) struck out 10 batters while allowing zero runs on three hits with no walks across 6.1 during a no-decision against the Tigers on Saturday. While he didn’t go as deep into the game, Yarbrough was arguably even better in this outing than his last one, extending his scoreless streak to 15 innings. His 10 strikeouts were a season high, and Yarbrough has allowed one earned run in his last 19.2 frames (0.47 ERA). He remains 11-3, but his other numbers improved Saturday — 3.34 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 88 strikeouts in 105 innings this season.

Yarbrough is 6-0 with a 1.43 ERA (56.2-IP, 9-ER) over his last 11 appearances (3 starts) since June 18 at NYY and has allowed 1 ER or fewer in 10 of those 11 apps. He is the only pitcher in franchise history with double-digit wins in his first two seasons in the majors. His 27 career wins are the most ever by a Ray through his first two seasons, passing Rolando Arrojo (21) in 1998-99. Last season, his 16 wins led ML rookies and set a club rookie record.

Team Stats

• Runs: 4.65
• Hits: 8.80
• Walks: 3.42
• Strike Outs: 9.26

• Runs: 3.91
• Hits: 7.80
• Walks: 2.83
• Strike Outs: 10.05

Why Bet on Baltimore?

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Mark Trumbo is on target to join the team when rosters expand in September. Trumbo is back to doing all baseball activities after experiencing another hiccup with his surgically-repaired right knee in late July, and he should soon be cleared to head out on a minor league rehab assignment. The 33-year-old has not appeared in a game at the MLB level this season.

Trey Mancini has hit 12 home runs and driven in 33 runs since the All-Star Break. His 33 RBI rank fifth-most in the AL and his 12 home runs tied for sixth in the AL since the break. Hanser Alberto ranks fourth in the AL and 11th in the majors among qualifying hitters with a .318 (125-for-393) batting average. He has hit safely in 57 of his last 74 games, with multi-hit contests in 28 of those 57. In 32 games in the lead-off spot, he is hitting .360.

Jonathan Villar needs four home runs to mark the eighth time in Orioles history (since 1954) that a player has totaled 20 home runs and 20 stolen base in a season. It would mark the first 20/20 season by an Oriole since INF Manny Machado (35 HR/20 SB) accomplished the feat in 2015. Villar would become the sixth different Oriole to notch at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.

The Orioles’ Asher Wojciechowski (2-6) took the loss Saturday as the Orioles fell 4-0 to the Red Sox. He allowed two runs on five hits and three walks and struck out our over 4.1 innings. The right-hander managed to keep Boston off the board through four innings, but the wheels came off in the fifth and Wojciechowski needed some help from Miguel Castro to escape further damage after he’d gotten the hook, as the reliever induced an inning-ending double play. Woj carries a 4.78 ERA and 56:20 K:BB through 49 innings into this one.

Team Stats

• Runs: 4.34
• Hits: 8.37
• Walks: 2.80
• Strike Outs: 9.06

• Runs: 6.40
• Hits: 9.67
• Walks: 3.57
• Strike Outs: 7.68

Rays vs Orioles MLB Betting Trends

• Rays are 12-4 in the last 16 meetings
• Over is 13-6 in the last 19 meetings in Baltimore
• Orioles are 17-57 in their last 74 home games vs. a team with a winning record
• Rays are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games on the road
• The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay’s last 9 games this season
• Orioles are 3-13 SU in their last 16 games against an opponent in the American League
• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baltimore’s last 6 games at home

Expert Final Score Prediction for Rays vs Orioles

Tampa Bay Rays 6 – Baltimore Orioles 3