Tampa Bay Rays vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 6/30/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Washington Nationals

Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: MASN/MASN2

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-111) Washington (-111)

Jon Lester and the Washington Nationals (38-38, 2nd in NL East) play the Tampa Bay Rays (47-32, 2nd in AL East) at Nationals Park on Wednesday. The Nationals open this matchup at -111 while the Rays are coming in at -111. The total has been set at 9.5. The pitchers expected to start will be Michael Wacha and Jon Lester.

As a unit, the Tampa Bay Rays are scoring 4.9 runs per game, which puts them at 7th in MLB. They have earned 388 runs while holding a team OBP of .316. The Rays have accumulated 134 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 95 balls out of the stadium. They have 366 runs batted in in addition to 618 hits on the year, and their batting average sits at .229. Tampa Bay is slugging .391 and have been called out on strikes 821 times, while being walked on 310 occasions.

The Rays have compiled a team ERA of 3.38 so far this season (6th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 752 batters. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 3.43 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.12. Rays pitchers have yielded 85 home runs and 303 runs in total (7th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 219 players from the other team and their FIP is 3.61 as a team this season.

The Rays have sent 254 relievers to the hill so far this season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 75 base runners this season and 28.0% of them crossed home plate. They have tallied 23 saves for the season and have blown 11 of their 34 save opportunities. The Rays bullpen have earned a save percentage of 67.6% and has stepped onto the mound in 86 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 50 holds so far this year (4th in the league). Rays bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 64 times and also have had 108 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Tampa Bay Rays have amassed 2,157 putouts over the course of the season, as well as 722 assists and 34 errors. Their fielding rate is at .988 which puts them in 2nd in pro baseball, and they have turned 505 double plays. The Rays have converted 71.4% of baseballs in play into outs out of 6,471 innings on the field, ranking them 5th in MLB.

Wacha has thrown 950 innings and has accounted for 835 punch outs during his pro baseball career. His earned run average is 4.05 (427 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.333. He has allowed 944 hits (8.9 hits per 9 innings) and has 322 walks. Wacha (61-45 career record) holds a FIP of 4.01 and he has gone up against 4,049 hitters in the majors.

The Washington Nationals have compiled an OBP of .321 as well as a team batting average of .249 on the campaign. They have struck out on 647 occasions (23rd in MLB) and have accounted for 615 base knocks. Washington has recorded 83 long balls this season to go along with 289 runs batted in. The Nationals have a team slugging % of .399 and they are scoring 3.95 runs per contest (25th in MLB). They have 110 doubles, while walking 233 times as well as notching 300 runs.

The Nationals have a team WHIP of 1.217 in addition to having a FIP of 4.29 as a staff this season. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.69 (650 strikeouts against 242 walks). They have a ranking of 3rd in MLB as a staff in total hits relinquished with 553. They have allowed 95 homers and they give up 4.24 runs per 9 innings (13th in baseball). The Washington pitching staff have yielded 308 runs this year while having an ERA of 3.86 (280 earned runs conceded).

Washington relievers hold an inherited score rate of 29.2% out of 89 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 67 times in high leverage situations in addition to 59 occasions with runners on base. With 67 save situations, the Nationals have accumulated 38 holds and 9 blown saves. They are ranked 7th in MLB holding a save percentage of 67.9%, and they have dispatched 254 relievers to the mound on the year. Washington has had relief pitchers step onto the hill in 28 save opportunities and they have walked away with 19 saves.

Out of their 5,880 innings on the diamond, the Nationals are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 71.8% (3rd in professional baseball). The Washington Nationals have turned 56 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .985 (11th in MLB). The Nationals have accrued 651 assists, 41 errors and have earned a total of 1,960 putouts so far this season.

So far in his MLB career, Lester has surrendered 2,511 base hits while he has totaled 2,433 punch outs in 2,651 innings. Lester (194-114 career mark) has earned a 3.63 ERA while allowing 8.5 hits per nine innings. He has allowed a total of 1,069 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.270 and having a FIP of 3.7. His K/BB ratio is 2.84 and he has faced 11,091 opposing hitters thus far in his career.

So what is Tonights Parlay prediction?

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Washington (-111) and under 9.5 runs

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