The Miami Marlins are on a bit of a dry spell at this point. They're just 1-4 in their last five games heading into their four game split series with the Tampa Bay Rays, and their big problem is that their biggest player, Giancarlo Stanton, is on the worst slump of his career.
Bet on MLB odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Even though these two teams have each only played a pair of Interleague games this season, there are some strong indications from last year that the Rays are more likely to be okay with the cross to the National League than vice versa. Tampa Bay went 14-6 a year ago in Interleague play, while Miami was just 7-13.
The Rays actually had one of the best marks in baseball on the road in National League parks for teams cross over, and we have no reason to believe that's going to change this year.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Jake Odorizzi never really turned into a top-of-the-line starter, but he certainly has been consistent for the Rays over the course of the last two and a half seasons. His ERA of 3.81 and WHIP of 1.23 are right there with his career averages. He's not going to overwhelm you with his big stuff, but he keeps the ball in the yard, has great control and tends to not put himself in bad spots.
Is Odorizzi the man who can go toss eight shutout innings? Absolutely not. He doesn't have a single complete game in his career, and he hasn't pitched deeper than seven frames this season. However, he's kept the Rays in just about every single one of his starts this year, and that's about all Kevin Cash and the gang can ask for.
Tom Koehler meanwhile, has to wonder how much longer he's going to keep a spot in the Miami rotation. He's just about to hit 30-years old, and he hasn't shown anything as a consistent starter. This year, he's just 2-4 with a 4.71 ERA, but the most alarming stat is that K/BB ratio which sits at 31/25 in 42 frames.
Koehler is another one of these pitchers who can eat up some innings without being overwhelming, but his control is all over the place, and that could really hurt him on Tuesday.
LIVE BETTING
We alluded to Stanton's problems at the top of this article, but it's worth remembering that he's a significantly better player here at home than he is on the road. He's a .278 lifetime batter at home, including batting .293 at Marlins Park. He's blasted 72 home runs in this building in his career in just 256 games.
However, history suggests Odorizzi isn't the man he's going to start hitting against. Stanton is only a .235 hitter in his career against Tampa Bay, and the big problems that he's had of late have all come with pitchers who keep the ball down in the zone. Odorizzi isn't a big strikeout pitcher, but he can locate pitches well. Missing up against Stanton is only advisable if you want to watch the dolphin statue go off in the outfield, but Odorizzi probably isn't going to make any mistakes high.
QUICK PICK
The biggest thing the Fish have going for them in this game is that the Rays just refuse to take walks. No one on the roster has more than 15 walks in the team's 41 games this year, yet six men have at least 30 strikeouts in that same span.
That's going to work right into the hands of Koehler in this one. Stanton's slump might very well continue, but he handwriting is on the wall that Miami is going to have some value on Tuesday afternoon before these two teams shift back to St. Pete for the last two games of the four-game set.
MLB Odds: Marlins 5, Rays 3
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The duel between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Miami Marlins will start at 12:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at Marlins Park. The matchup will be televised nationally on MLB Network.
