The Tampa Bay Rays snapped their 3-game skid last night, shutting out the Miami Marlins 6-0 in the first leg of their 3-game set at LoanDepot Park. The AL East leading Rays are expected to send their ace southpaw Shane McClanahan to the hill and he has been in the zone. McClanahan is 6-2 with an ERA of only 2.48 and a 1.02 WHIP over 55 innings of work. The Marlins are likely going with a bullpen game and Lake Bachar is expected to get the start. Bachar is winless at 0-0 with a 3.45 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP over 31.1 innings of work. The Rays are 7-1 in their last 8 interleague games, 10-1 against the NL East, and have won two straight against the Marlins and four of the last five. They also have edge in runs scored, run differential, batting average, hits, and homers. Tampa Bay can feel the heat from the New York Yankees who are just 1.5 games back of the Rays for the top spot in the AL East so they need to take care of business against sub .500 teams like the Marlins, and they know it.
TODAY’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS