Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-145)
(MLB) Tampa Bay vs. Detroit,
Point Spread: -1.50 | -145.00 Tampa Bay (Away)
Result: Loss
Sure, Shane McClanahan sputtered in his two starts last week but perhaps an extra day or two of rest will help get him back on track. Facing a Detroit team that is last in the majors in runs per game with 3.20 should help cure what ails him as well. After all, Tampa Bay has won four of the five games in the season series entering this one and has won each by multiple runs, including Friday's 5-3 victory where they scored three in the eighth to rally for the triumph. Detroit counters the Rays' ace with Garrett Hill, who won his major league debut but is 0-3 with a 7.20 ERA, a 1.65 WHIP, 10 walks and eight strikeouts over 20 innings in his four starts since. Those aren't the kind of numbers you want your starting pitcher to have when the opposing guy is McClanahan. The Rays have mustered 11 runs in the first two games of this set and with their ace on the hill, coupled with a struggling rookie on the mound for the opposition, plus a team that can't score, you have to think the Rays win this one by multiple runs.