The Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta Braves open a three-game series tonight at Truist Park in a matchup between two first-place clubs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.
Tampa Bay enters the series at 85-58 with a four-game advantage in the American League East over the New York Yankees. The Rays split four games against the Rangers over the weekend, closing their trip to Texas with an 8-6 loss after allowing an early four-run lead to slip away.
Atlanta also holds a four-game division lead after splitting a significant four-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Braves preserved their place atop the NL East, but missed an opportunity to extend their lead on Monday, managing only two hits in a 1-0 loss to the Phillies.
The Rays will start Freddy Peralta in Tuesday’s series opener, who is 7-11 with a 4.96 ERA and 140 strikeouts this season. Peralta struggled in his first appearance following his trade from the New York Mets, but has since responded by posting a 3.03 ERA across his past five starts. The right-hander limited his former club to one run on three hits with seven strikeouts over six innings in his latest outing.
Peralta has also already faced Atlanta twice this season as a member of the Mets, picking up a win at Citi Field on June 14 followed by a no decision at Truist Park in which the Mets rallied to win 7-6 in 10 innings.
A.J. Smith-Shawver gets the ball for Atlanta as he continues working his way back from Tommy John surgery. The 23-year-old owns a 7.13 ERA through four starts this season and allowed five runs over four innings against Washington in his most recent appearance.
Rays vs. Braves Odds Today
The Braves are listed as slight home favorites for tonight’s series opener:
Best Bet for Rays vs. Braves
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook’s Stats Hub offers player trends, matchup history and additional data for every game on the MLB schedule. Matt Olson’s recent struggles form the foundation for our featured play on Tuesday night:
Matt Olson Under 1.5 Total Bases (-165): Olson has failed to clear 1.5 total bases in nine of his past 10 games, with his production declining further since the calendar turned to September.
Olson hit for a .226 average across 106 at-bats in August, finishing the month with 24 hits and 30 strikeouts. Olson still added eight home runs and posted a .500 slugging percentage, but his .299 on-base percentage reflected how difficult it was for him to consistently reach base.
September has brought an even more pronounced slump. Olson is just 2-for-23 with one double, no home runs, no RBIs and 10 strikeouts through six games this month. Those numbers give him a .087 batting average, a .130 slugging percentage and only three total bases to begin the final month of the regular season
Olson recorded a single in Monday’s loss to Philadelphia, but that was still not enough to beat this number. His homerun ability always creates some risk on a total-bases Under, particularly at Truist Park, but his extended run of limited production and Peralta’s improved form make Under 1.5 Total Bases (-165) our best bet for Tuesday night.
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- Best Bet: Matt Olson Under 1.5 Total Bases (-165)
Rays vs. Braves Betting Splits
Hard Rock Bet players are fairly split on the moneyline, while run line action heavily favors Atlanta:
- The Rays account for 52.6% of all moneyline tickets and 68.4% of the handle.
- Braves +1.5 has attracted 90.9% of all run line wagers and 85.7% of the money.
- Over 8.5 is backed by 70.6% of all tickets and 76.8% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props
Tampa Bay slugger Junior Caminero leads the way for tonight’s most-bet player props:
- Junior Caminero – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Ronald Acuña Jr. – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Matt Olson – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Ronald Acuña Jr. – Over 0.5 Hits
- Michael Harris II – Over 0.5 Hits
Rays vs. Braves Game Info
- 📍 Where: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, September 8
- ⏰ First Pitch: 7:15 PM ET
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Rays: Freddy Peralta (7-11, 4.96 ERA)
- Braves: A.J. Smith-Shawver (0-1, 7.13 ERA)
More Ways to Bet
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