With yesterday’s win over the Oakland Athletics, the Tampa Bay Rays are now 50-22 on the season, 19-15 on the road, and will open a 3-game set tonight with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. San Diego is still under .500 at 33-35 and 17-19 at home. Tonight’s game will be decided by starting pitching and the Rays have the league’s best, southpaw Shane McClanahan. Sugar Shane is 10-1 with a 2.18 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and the Rays are 12-2 in his 14 starts. The Padres will counter with veteran Yu Darvish who is 5-4 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The Friars and Rays do not play each other often but Tampa has won 9 of the last 10 meetings.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS