Cleveland Indians vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 7/5/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Cleveland Indians vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Monday, July 5, 2021

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (-105) Tampa Bay (-116)

Rich Hill and the Tampa Bay Rays (47-36, 2nd in AL East) host the Cleveland Indians (42-38, 2nd in AL Central) at Tropicana Field on Monday. The Rays open this matchup at -116 while the Indians are coming in at -105. The O/U has been set at 8. The expected starting pitchers will be Cal Quantrill and Rich Hill.

The Indians have recorded 117 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 96 balls out of the stadium. Cleveland has a slugging rate of .394 and have been called out on strikes 668 times, while drawing a walk on 228 occasions. As a squad, the Cleveland Indians are compiling 4.3 runs per outing, which puts them at 16th in the league. They have accrued 326 runs batted in as well as 594 hits for the season, and their team batting average comes in at .228. They have earned a total of 344 runs scored and have an OBP of .297.

Indians pitchers have given up 101 long balls and also 359 runs in total (15th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 295 opposing hitters and their FIP is 4.25 as a unit for the season. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.57 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.31. The Indians have compiled a team earned run average of 4.37 for the season (19th in MLB), and they have rung up 759 batters.

Indians relief pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 72 times in addition to having 73 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 33 holds on the year (23rd in the league). The Indians bullpen have a save percentage of 81.5% and stepped onto the hill in 62 save situations. They have recorded 22 saves over the course of the season and have blown 5 of their 27 chances to get a save. The relievers have inherited 101 base runners on the campaign and 30.7% of those players crossed the plate. The Indians have dispatched 267 relievers to the hill so far this season.

The Cleveland Indians have notched a total of 2,084 putouts for the season, in addition to 684 assists and 41 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .985 which has them ranked 8th in the majors, and have a total of 550 double plays. The Indians have turned 69.7% of balls in play into outs in their 6,252 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 17th in baseball.

Quantrill has pitched in 185 innings and has tallied 159 K's thus far in his career. Quantrill (8-10 career win-loss record) sits with a FIP of 4.11 and he has gone up against 799 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 4.37 (90 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.317. He has surrendered 191 hits (9.3 hits per 9 innings) with 53 walks.

Tampa Bay has accounted for 100 home runs this year to go along with 379 RBIs. They have tallied 141 doubles, while getting a free base 321 times and scoring 401 runs. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated an OBP of .314 and a batting average of .228 this year. The Rays have a team SLG% of .390 and they are scoring 4.83 runs per game (9th in the league). They have struck out on 857 occasions (1st in the league) and have totaled 646 hits.

The Tampa Bay pitching staff have conceded 339 runs so far this season while holding an ERA of 3.58 (299 earned runs surrendered). They have given up 96 home runs and they surrender 4.06 runs per 9 innings (9th in the league). The Rays have a WHIP of 1.146 in addition to having a FIP of 3.77 as a unit on the year. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.38 (783 strikeouts against 232 bases on balls). They sit at 14th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 629.

Tampa Bay has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 34 save opportunities and they have come away with 23 saves. They are currently ranked 6th in the league with a save rate of 67.6%, and they have dispatched 268 relief pitchers onto the diamond so far this season. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 110 times in high leverage situations and on 69 occasions with runners on. Tampa Bay relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 31.8% out of their 85 inherited base runners. With 86 save situations, the Rays have accumulated 50 holds in addition to 11 blown saves.

In 6,759 innings on the field, the Rays are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 71.0% (7th in the majors). The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 72 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .988 (2nd in baseball). The Rays have accrued 751 assists, 38 errors and have amassed 2,253 putouts on the campaign.

In his career, Hill has allowed 865 hits while accumulating 1,115 punch outs in 1,058 innings. Hill (73-47 career mark) has earned a 3.78 earned run average while allowing 7.4 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed a total of 445 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.214 and a FIP of 4.0. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.65 and he has faced 4,424 opposing batters in his MLB career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cleveland (-105)

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