PITCHING MATCHUP
Jordan Zimmerman has been tough to hit over the course of his whole career, but this year, things just haven't done his way. Batters are hitting .289 against him, and lefties are especially knocking him around to the tune of a .329 average.
Zimmerman is 5-4 with a 3.74 ERA, and his K/BB ratio of 52/18 is stellar. He's probably due for some better luck than he has had, especially early in games. He has allowed 44 of his 88 total hits in his first 40 pitches in games, proving that the first time around the lineup is his most difficult task.
An LOB percentage of just 68.4 is far too low for Zimmerman, while a BABIP of .337 is just far higher than it possibly could stay at over the course of a full season.
Still, his velocity is down, and the Rays have had a penchant for hitting the ball really well against pitchers who don't throw the ball all that hard and aren't known for their strikeouts.
That really could provide a great opportunity to back Tampa Bay early on in this game via live betting.
The only problem which the Rays could run into will be with their starting pitching in this game.
Matt Andriese is making his second career start in this one. He has been pitching in long relief for much of the season, but he was forced into action as a starter on June 12 against the White Sox. That day, he allowed just two runs, neither of which was earned in a 7-5 victory.
Andriese isn't a big strikeout pitcher, which could be a problem against the Nationals and their high-risk, high-reward bats. Know if you're betting on the Rays that any inning could be the big inning for the Nats, which could really burn live bettors.
ADVANCED STATS
Tampa Bay has the second best defense in baseball according to UZR and other advanced metrics according to FanGraphs. This really could come in hand with a ground ball pitcher on the mound like Andriese. The Rays have a fielding percentage of .987, and their infield fielding percentage is up to .989, tops in baseball.
You know that the Rays aren't going to beat themselves in this game, which is a healthy helper against a Washington team which has very little speed and has swiped a total of just 17 bases all season long.
TALKING BULLPENS
Drew Storen hasn't exactly been a busy guy of late for the Nats. He has only pitched once since June 5, that coming in a save situation against the Yankees. He hasn't pitched outside of a save situation since May 19, so know that he isn't going to factor in this game unless Washington is ahead by three runs or fewer in all likelihood in the ninth.
What pitching around Storen is really questionable for Washington. Matt Thornton is really just a one batter at a time type of pitcher, and his 2.20 ERA is second best in the pen behind Storen. The next closest man down in the man is Casey Janssen, who has only thrown nine innings and has a 4.00 ERA.
In the middle innings, the Nationals are going to be in a lot of trouble going against a Tampa Bay bullpen which specializes in making something out of games which seem to be lost all the time.
The MLB lines for this Wednesday contest will first be released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don't have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don't miss out on getting paid because you couldn't bet. Click here, and deposit at BookMaker now! The ballgame pitting the Tampa Bay Rays versus the Washington Nationals will commence Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Nationals Park in Washington DC. You can watch the contest live on ESPN2.
