Orioles vs. Rays: Picks, predictions, how to watch Saturday’s game

The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays square off on Saturday with first pitch set for 4:10 p.m ET. The game takes place at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Dean Kremer (3-1, 2.15 ERA) gets the starting call for the Orioles and the Rays will send Ryan Yarbrough (0-4, 5.82 ERA) to the hill.

Not many could have predicted that Baltimore (45-45) would be making noise with a .500 record and sitting in last place in the AL East. The Orioles rode a 10-game win streak heading into Friday night’s series opener against the Rays, which was eventually snapped with a 4-5 loss. Baltimore’s winning streak was unprecedented for a team that was meant to be on the outside looking in for a postseason appearance. Yet even with Friday’s loss, the Orioles sit just 2.5 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot with the expanded playoff format.

Tampa Bay (50-40) is looking to ride their hot streak heading into Saturday’s matchup, having won five straight including the series-opening win against the Orioles. Prior to Friday’s win, the Rays walked away with a four-game sweep over the Boston Red Sox after getting swept by the Cincinnati Reds in the series prior. Friday’s win puts the Rays in second place in the AL East with a 1.5-game lead ahead of the Seattle Mariners for the top AL Wild Card spot.

Orioles vs. Rays

Pitchers: Dean Kremer vs. Ryan Yarbrough
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
Orioles local broadcast: MASN
Rays local broadcast: Bally Sports Sun
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)

Odds, picks & predictions

Run Line: Rays -1.5 (+165)
Run total: 7.5
Moneyline odds: Orioles +100, Rays -120

Moneyline pick: Orioles +100

Yarbrough has struggled in the majors this season and is 0-3 with an 8.56 ERA in his last three starts. Kremer has pitched better than expected at this point in the season with a 2.15 ERA and should manage to keep Baltimore in the game. In a pick 'em decision of who to trust more I like Kremer and the Orioles should be able to test Tampa Bay’s bullpen. I like the Orioles to bounce back in this one.

Player prop pick: Ryan Mountcastle over 1.5 total bases (-105)

Mountcastle had a double in Friday’s series opener and has a hit in six of his last seven games. With the uncertainty around Yarbrough given his struggles in the majors this season, I like Mountcastle being a beneficiary as he heads to the plate on Saturday.

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