Rays vs Phillies Prediction & MLB Odds For Monday, September 9th

At 6:40 PM ET, the Phillies and Rays face off in an interleague matchup. This one is being played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and the Phillies are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -200. The Rays are +166 on the money line, and the over/under line is at 8 runs.

Tampa Bay will be looking to extend their two-game winning streak, as they are 71-72 and 4th in the AL East. The Phillies, meanwhile, are 1st in the NL East with a record of 85-58. Monday’s forecast in Philadelphia calls for temperatures in the mid-70s and partly cloudy skies.

Betting Odds & Lines for this Game

• Spread: Rays 1.5 (-130) | Phillies -1.5 (+106)
• Total: 8
• MoneyLine: Rays +166 | Phillies -200

All Odds are courtesy of (BetMGM | DraftKings | Fanduel | BetRivers)

Rays vs. Phillies Prediction: Moneyline

Heading into their last game vs. the Orioles, the Rays closed out the series with a 2-0 win. This was especially impressive, as they were the +182 underdog on the money line. Tampa Bay’s offense scored their only two runs in the 6th inning and was carried by Jonny DeLuca, who went 2/4 with a homer.

Zack Littell got the start for the Rays, going five innings, and didn’t give up a run. He also issued just one walk and struck out four Orioles batters. Edwin Uceta picked up the save, going three innings, and didn’t give up a run. Tampa Bay’s bullpen was especially impressive, as they closed things out without allowing a run.

Tampa Bay is on the road today to take on the Phillies, and they are 71-72 overall, putting them 4th in the AL East. Currently, they trail the Yankees by 11 games in the division. The Rays have gone 19-24 against other AL East teams this year.

The Rays have won two straight games, and this came after winning the final two games of their series vs. the Orioles. At home, the Rays are 37-38 this year and an even 34-34 on the road. As the underdog, the Rays have gone 36-42 this year, and they are 35-30 when favored.

The Phillies will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Marlins with a 10-1 loss. Philadelphia was actually the slight favorite on the money line going into the game but fell behind big early, as the Marlins scored seven times in the third.

Seth Johnson got the start for the Phillies and took the loss. He only lasted 2 1/3 innings, giving up nine earned runs. Offensively, the Phillies only had one fewer hit than the Marlins but scored just one run. Bryce Harper was 2/4 with a double and a run scored.

With an overall record of 85-58, the Phillies lead the NL East by seven games over the Mets. The Phillies are at home today, hosting the Rays, and they are 2-2 in their last two games after dropping the final two games of their series vs. the Marlins. In the NL East, the Phillies are 25-17 in divisional games this year.

At home, the Phillies have gone 47-25 this year, and they are just above .500 at 38-33 on the road. The Phillies have won two straight at home, and they are 46-22 as the home favorite this year. As the underdog, the Phillies are 13-15 this season, and their overall series record is 25-16-7.

Rays vs. Phillies Prediction: Over/Under

The Tampa Bay Rays are on the road today against the Philadelphia Phillies. The over/under line for the game is set at 8 runs, which is right in line with their season average of 8.1 runs per game. The Rays have an over/under record of 64-71 on the season, and when the line has been set at 8 runs, they are 16-19-1. This season, 32.2% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8 runs, while 42.7% have had lines set lower than 8 runs.

Yandy Diaz has been one of the few bright spots in the Rays lineup this season, as he is batting .279 and has 14 homers, which is 4th in the league. He also leads the team with 64 RBIs. Over his last six games, he has gone 8/23 with two homers. Christopher Morel has the team’s worst batting average at .198, but he does have 21 homers, which is the best mark on the team. Morel is also on a four-game hitting streak.

As a team, the Rays are averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the MLB. They have also struggled in terms of home runs and batting average. Tampa Bay does have a good walk rate and has the 8th fewest strikeouts in the league.

The Phillies will host the Rays today with the over/under line set at 8 runs. This season, the Phillies have a combined run average of 9.0 runs per game. Their over/under record for the season is 67-69, and their average over/under line is 8 runs. When the over/under line has been set at 8 runs, their record is 17-16-1. The over has hit in three straight games for the Phillies.

Over the past eight games, Kyle Schwarber has been on fire for the Phillies, going 13/34 with five homers and 11 RBIs. Schwarber’s 33 homers are the best mark on the team and 10th best in the majors this season. He is also 1st in RBIs, with 93. Bryce Harper is also having a strong season for the Phillies, batting .285 with 26 homers and 79 RBIs.

As a team, the Phillies are 5th in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.1 runs per contest. Overall, they are the 4th best hitting team in the league, with a team batting average of .259. Their team on-base percentage of .328 is also 4th in the league.

Rays vs. Phillies Prediction: Spread

When the Tampa Bay Rays are on the road, they have been a solid bet against the run line this season, going 39-29. They have covered the run line in two straight games and have been a profitable bet as the underdog, going 49-29 against the run line. Their average run differential in winning games is +2.8, while their average run differential in losing games is -3.5.

Cole Sulser is getting the start for the Rays today and comes into the game with a record of 0-0 and ERA of 4.36. So far this season, he has made one start and seven total appearances. Sulser’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.35. The right-hander most recently pitched on September 4th, where he went two innings and didn’t give up a run. In that outing, he gave up one hit and one walk. Sulser has finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings. He has a total of four no-decisions this season.

Philadelphia has been a strong run line bet at home this season, going 33-39, but overall they are just 70-73. They have been a favorite in 115 games and have gone 55-60 in those games. Their average run margin in winning games is 4.0, while their average run margin in losing games is -3.8. They have been on a run line losing streak in their last two games as the favorite.

Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez gets the start for the Phillies today as he faces off against the Rays. This year, he has made 27 starts and has a record of 10-9 with a 3.45 ERA. Sánchez’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.26. In his 27 appearances, he has turned in 15 quality starts, along with two complete games and one shutout. Sánchez most recently pitched on September 4th, where he picked up the win, going seven innings and giving up two earned runs. Before that outing, he had allowed at least three earned runs in three straight starts.

Rays vs. Phillies Pick: Over 8 Runs -103

Our prediction for the Phillies vs. Rays game is to take the over, with the line sitting at 8 runs. Offensively, we have the Phillies picking up a 5-4 win, meaning there is some room for error on the over/under line.

If you’re looking for a money line pick, we would take the Phillies, but at -200, the payout isn’t great. Looking at some potential player props, Christopher Sanchez is projected to finish with seven strikeouts, which is fifth among today’s starters.