Tampa Bay Rays @ Cleveland Guardians - September 15, 2024

As I gear up for today’s matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians, I can’t help but feel that there’s something brewing. The Rays, with their backs against the wall sitting at 73-76, are looking to make a statement in this series finale. They’re sending out Taj Bradley to the mound, who’s had a rough season so far with a 6-10 record and a 4.4 ERA. But trust me when I say he has that spark—he’s racked up nearly 8.5 strikeouts per game, which indicates he’s got some tools to work with.

On the other side of the diamond is Ben Lively for the Guardians—a more seasoned pitcher at 11-9 with an impressive 3.8 ERA and slightly better strikeout numbers around 8.7 per game. This kid knows how to navigate through lineups and keep hitters guessing, which is essential when you’re facing off against a Rays lineup that’s been struggling offensively lately.

Now let’s talk about those batting stats. The Guardians have been putting up an average of about 4.5 runs per game while managing to get almost 8 hits on average; it’s clear they know how to put pressure on opposing pitchers. Their batting average sits at .233, which isn’t stellar but combined with their ability to get on base (68% slugging percentage), they’re making things happen.

The Rays? Well, they’ve struggled somewhat offensively—averaging just about 3.9 runs per game and hitting around .227 as a team tells you they’ve been fighting tooth and nail for every single run lately.

Last time these two teams met, it was all Guardians as they took home a decisive victory of 6-1 over Tampa Bay—something that should loom large in both locker rooms heading into today’s contest.

I’m predicting a win for the Rays here—not because I’m feeling particularly superstitious today or because I want my lucky socks back in action—but because there is value in this underdog narrative that I can’t ignore. Plus, sometimes teams just need that extra push after taking one on the chin like they did last night.

With both teams also trending towards unders recently—the total has gone under in six of their last seven games—I would put my money on another low-scoring affair today as well.

So here’s my final take: Expect Taj Bradley to surprise us today against a Guardians lineup that’s not invincible despite their recent success. It’ll be tight but if the Rays can harness some early momentum and capitalize on any mistakes Lively might make, we might just see them pull off an upset tonight—keeping it under while they’re at it!