Want more proof that baseball is a team game and can’t be ruled by one player? The LA Angels have the best player in the sport in Mike Trout but are struggling again this year. Most people probably couldn’t name more than a couple of players on the Tampa Bay Rays, yet they are battling for the AL East lead. The Rays will be favored on the MLB Odds in their home series opener vs. the Halos on Thursday.

How to Bet Angels at Rays MLB Odds & TV Info

• When: Thursday, 7:10 PM ET
• Where: Tropicana Field
• Probable pitchers (away/home): Tyler Skaggs/Ryan Yarbrough
• TV: MLB Extra Innings
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• Radio: WDAE
• MLB Spread: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (Total 8.5)

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Why Bet on LA Angels?

The Halos swept two home games from the rival Dodgers to start this week. Justin Bour hit a three-run homer Tuesday in his first game back in the majors to help the Angels beat the Dodgers 5-3. All of the Angels’ runs scored in the first inning, which included homers from Shohei Ohtani and Bour, who was called up from the minors. He really struggled early this season and had been sent down. Bour took well to his May 14 demotion to the minor leagues and went on to slash .279/.395/.588 with five home runs and 17 RBI in 18 games at the Triple-A level.

David Fletcher (shoulder) entered Tuesday’s game as a defensive replacement. Fletcher was held out of the Angels’ starting lineup for the fourth straight game due to left shoulder soreness, but he came on to play third base in the top of the ninth and should be a full-go for Thursday. The 25-year-old infielder owns a.308/.363/.434 batting line with four home runs, 23 RBI, five stolen bases, and 32 runs scored.

Justin Upton is expected to join the Angels’ active roster on their upcoming road trip. Upton is 3-for-8 with two walks and two RBI through three minor league rehab games with High-A Inland Empire. The veteran outfielder has been sidelined since spring training because of turf toe.

The Angels boast MLB’s best plate appearance per strikeout rate at 6.03 (Houston is second at 5.73). Fletcher is leading all Major Leaguers this season with a 16.00 PA/K.

It’s Tyler Skaggs (4-6, 4.97) for the Angels, and he was originally scheduled to start Tuesday but pushed back. Skaggs allowed six runs — five earned — over four-plus innings in last Thursday’s loss to the Athletics. Skaggs more or less cruised through his first three innings unscathed before running into trouble in the fourth. Four straight singles and a sacrifice fly led to three runs, and he found more danger in the fifth, allowing three baserunners before giving way to the bullpen, which allowed two inherited runs to score. Six hits and four walks did Skaggs in.

Skaggs has been inconsistent, posting a 5.92 ERA over his last seven starts.

Team Stats

• Runs: 5.06
• Hits: 8.78
• Walks: 3.75
• Strike Outs: 6.46

Defense

• Runs: 5.07
• Hits: 8.49
• Walks: 3.56
• Strike Outs: 8.88

Why Bet on Tampa Bay?

The Rays went 6-1 against the Angels last season (3-0 at home, 3-1 on the road) to win the season series for a third consecutive year while improving to 3-0-1 in the last four season series. The Rays are 80-98 all-time against them (40-47 at home, 40-51 on the road), including 48-35 in the Rays era. Last season, the Rays outscored them, 43-22, and scored 7 runs (or more) in four of the 7 games.

Since the start of the 2010 season, the visiting team has dominated the matchup of these two clubs: the Angels are 17-14 at Tropicana Field, including 7-2-1 in series play, while the Rays are 26-11 at Angel Stadium and 9-1-1 in series play. Despite that, the Rays have won five consecutive games at Tropicana Field, tied for the longest home winning streak over the Angels in club history.

Second baseman Joey Wendle is likely to be activated off the injured list on Thursday. Wendle has already played in three minor league rehab games between High-A Charlotte and Triple-A Durham, going 6-for-11 with a home run and a stolen base. The infielder has been sidelined since late April because of a fracture in his right wrist.

It’s expected to be Ryan Yarbrough on the mound for the Rays, but you never know with them. Yarbrough (5-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and no walks over 7.2 innings to earn the win over the Red Sox in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday. He struck out seven. Yarbrough was outstanding, winning his third decision in his last four appearances. The left-hander permitted only an eighth-inning Jackie Bradley Jr. solo homer and three singles and has a 16:4 K:BB in his last four games (25.2 innings). Yarbrough has a 5.31 ERA and 1.09 WHIP after three starts and six relief appearances.

Since his recall from Durham on May 23, Yarbrough 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA (25.2-IP, 10-ER) in 4 apps (3 starts). He’s in his third stint with the Rays this season.

Team Stats

• Runs: 4.70
• Hits: 9.09
• Walks: 3.48
• Strike Outs: 9.51

• Runs: 3.28
• Hits: 7.24
• Walks: 2.91
• Strike Outs: 9.61

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Angels vs Rays MLB Betting Trends

• Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter
• Rays are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games at home
• The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Tampa Bay’s last 9 games this season
• Angels are 2-6 in their last 8 during game 1 of a series
• Angels are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
• The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels’ last 5 games against an opponent in the American League.

Expert Final Score Prediction for Angels vs Rays

Los Angels Angels 4 – Tampa Bay Rays 6