New York Mets vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 9/1/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: New York Mets vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: MLB.TV

Odds/Point Spread: New York (-130) Tampa Bay (+110)

Tropicana Field is the site where the Tampa Bay Rays (82-54) will meet the New York Mets (61-76) on Tuesday. The moneyline on this game has New York at -130 while Tampa Bay is at +110. The total has been set at 9. The pitchers taking the mound are Sean Manaea and Freddy Peralta.

As a team, the New York Mets are notching 4.1 runs/g, which is 24th in MLB. They have a total of 562 runs while having a team OBP of .306. The Mets have accounted for 173 two-baggers as a unit and have smacked 165 balls out of the park. They have amassed 537 runs batted in as well as 1,084 base knocks on the campaign, while their batting average sits at .236. New York has a slugging % of .389 and have been called out on strikes 1,163 times, while being walked on 435 occasions.

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The Mets have compiled a team earned run average of 4.08 on the season (13th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,228 hitters. Mets pitchers have conceded 151 long balls in addition to 615 runs (17th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 489 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 4.05 as a unit this year. New York has given up 1,098 base hits (8.1 per 9 innings) in addition to 554 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.51 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.30.

The Mets have dispatched 420 relief pitchers to the hill so far this season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 177 runners on the year and 28.2% of them ended up crossing the plate. The bullpen have racked up 57 holds for the season (26th in the league). Mets pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 126 times in addition to having 145 appearances in high leverage situations. They have tallied 25 saves on the campaign and have blown 17 of their 42 chances to save the game. The Mets bullpen have earned a save rate of 59.5% and stepped onto the hill in 102 save situations.

The New York Mets have accumulated 3,662 putouts for the season, as well as 1,082 assists and 84 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .983 which puts them in 25th in the majors, and they have turned 83 double plays. The Mets have turned 69.6% of baseballs in play into outs in their 10,986 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 18th in pro baseball.

Manaea has taken the hill for 1,367 frames and is sitting with 1,304 punch outs in his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.13 (627 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.213. He has surrendered 1,272 base knocks (8.4 hits per nine innings) with 387 free passes. Manaea (83-72 career mark) holds a FIP of 4.07 and he has gone up against 5,729 batters during his time in the major leagues.

The Rays have a team SLG% of .404 and they score 4.53 runs per game (15th in baseball). They have 190 doubles, while walking 439 times as well as putting up 616 runs. Tampa Bay has hit 142 home runs so far this season as well as 584 RBIs. They have been rung up on 953 instances (30th in baseball) and are sitting with 1,188 hits. The Tampa Bay Rays have a team on-base percentage of .329 and a team batting average of .260 this season.

The Tampa Bay pitching staff have surrendered 562 runs so far this year and come in with a team ERA of 3.77 (509 earned runs surrendered). They have conceded 170 long balls and they surrender 4.16 runs per 9 innings (8th in baseball). The Rays hold a team WHIP of 1.146 in addition to having a FIP of 4.04 as a team this year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.20 (1,111 strikeouts vs 341 walks). They are sitting at 6th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 1,051.

Tampa Bay relievers have an inherited score rate of 31.0% out of their 158 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 133 times in high leverage situations and on 111 occasions with runners on base. With 173 save situations, the Rays have accrued 103 holds and 16 blown saves. They are ranked 2nd in baseball with a save percentage of 77.1%, and they have dispatched 431 relievers onto the field over the course of the season.

In 10,935 innings on the field, the Rays have a defensive efficiency of 72.0% (3rd in professional baseball). The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 87 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .983 (24th in pro baseball). The Rays have accrued 1,077 assists, 82 errors and have accumulated 3,645 putouts on the campaign.

Peralta (71-44 career record) has a 3.64 ERA while surrendering 6.8 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.20 and he has gone up against 3,962 hitters thus far in his career. He has given up a total of 388 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.132 and having a FIP of 3.6. During his career, Peralta has allowed 719 hits while he has earned 1,173 strikeouts in 958 innings pitched.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take New York (-130)

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