MLB.TV Free Game of the Day Betting Picks for Athletics-Rays (5/30/24)

The lengthy MLB season can cause some games to get lost in the shuffle, but MLB.TV provides fans with a Free Game of the Day throughout the regular season that can also be seen on FanDuel TV+ here, or also available on Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Fire TV, and FanDuel Sportsbook.

Why not add to the viewing excitement by getting in on the MLB odds over at FanDuel Sportsbook?

For this article, we've got you covered with a betting guide for each Free Game of the Day. With that, let's take a look at some of the best bets for today's free game.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All stats come from FanGraphs and Baseball Savant unless noted otherwise. Please check here to make sure you're seeing the most updated projections.

MLB Betting Picks

Athletics vs. Rays Betting Odds: Spread, Total, and Moneyline

• Time: 1:10 p.m. ET
• Spread: Rays -1.5 (+134)
• Total: 8.0
• Moneyline:
  • Athletics: +130
  • Rays: -154

Best Bet

Over 8.0 Runs (-118)

The Oakland Athletics (23-34) and Tampa Bay Rays (27-29) will wrap up a three-game series this afternoon, and pitching doesn't seem to be a priority on either side.

The Rays will send out relief pitcher Shawn Armstrong to open the game. He comes in with a 3.91 ERA, 3.65 xERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 1.07 HR/9. He's opened four games for Tampa Bay this season but has yet to go past the second inning.

While Armstrong could end up unscathed against an Oakland team that is producing a .226 BA (23rd), .380 SLG (19th), 102 wRC+ (14th), and .153 ISO (10th) against right-handed pitchers, we can't necessarily trust Tampa Bay's arms in a bullpen game.

Entering the day, Tampa Bay's bullpen sports a 4.41 ERA (24th), 4.65 xFIP (29th), 4.14 SIERA (27th), 1.36 WHIP (23rd), and 1.33 HR/9 (29th).

Oakland's lineup has shown a lot of pop, owning a .160 ISO (seventh-best) and averaging 1.21 home runs per game (fourth-most). The Rays have given up a minimum of 4.0 runs and an average of 6.5 runs in the four bullpen games started by Armstrong, so I'm expecting the A's to make a decent enough contribution to the game total.

The A's are scrambling for a pitcher. Relief arm Hogan Harris has just been recalled from Triple-A and is expected to make the start as of this writing.

Dating back to last season, Harris has pitched 71 2/3 innings in the majors. In this span, he owns a 6.78 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and 1.26 HR/9. The lefty has allowed opponents a .344 OBP and .450 SLG.

The Rays are producing a .252 BA (12th) and 101 wRC+ (tied for 13th) against left-handed pitchers. While many players on this team have been underperforming, Tampa Bay's batters look primed to come alive at home. They are set to come out with an all-righty lineup, and Harris has surrendered a .467 SLG and 1.46 HR/9 to righties in his career.

Best Prop

Isaac Paredes To Record An RBI (+140)

Tampa Bay's cleanup batter is in a good spot to bat in a run this afternoon.

Isaac Paredes leads the team in RBIs (30) and has recorded at least one RBI in 42.3% of his games, so I'm satisfied with these +140 odds, which imply a 41.6% probability.

He comes in with a .289 BA, .400 OBP, and 134 wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers. Given that the Rays are loading their lineup with righties, Paredes looks primed to walk to the plate with runners in scoring position.

I'm looking at Yandy Diaz and Harold Ramirez -- who will bat first and third, respectively -- to get on base against Harris. Since last season, Diaz has generated a .335 BA and .254 ISO against lefties while Ramirez has produced a .364 BA and .509 SLG versus this handedness.

You can get Diaz To Record A Run (-145) or Ramirez To Record A Run (+115), but I'm most interested in the shake we are getting on this RBI prop.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.