Rays vs. Cardinals Prediction, Betting Tips & Picks 6/9/2022

The Tampa Bay Rays (33-23) will look to Manuel Margot, red hot after a four-hit game, to lead them in a matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals (32-25) on Thursday at 1:10 PM ET. The Rays are -185 favorites for the contest, according to bookmakers. Shane McClanahan gets the starting nod for Tampa Bay while Miles Mikolas is St. Louis’ starter for the contest.

Rays vs. Cardinals Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Rays vs. Cardinals

Our computer pick: St. Louis Cardinals (+158) and Over (7)

Rays vs. Cardinals Game Info

• Tampa Bay Rays probable starting pitcher: Shane McClanahan
• St. Louis Cardinals probable starting pitcher: Miles Mikolas
• Game Day: Thursday, June 9, 2022
• Game Time: 1:10 PM ET
• Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
• Stadium: Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays vs St. Louis Cardinals Pitching Matchup

Rays Starter Shane McClanahan

• McClanahan (6-2) takes the mound for the Rays in his 12th start of the season. He has a 2.10 ERA in 64 1/3 innings pitched, with 89 strikeouts.
• His most recent appearance came on Friday against the Chicago White Sox, when the left-hander threw 6 2/3 innings, surrendering two earned runs while allowing six hits.
• In 11 games this season, the 25-year-old has put up a 2.10 ERA and 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings, while giving up a batting average of .201 to opposing hitters.
• McClanahan is aiming for his sixth straight quality start.
• McClanahan is seeking his 10th straight outing lasting five or more innings. He averages 5.3 frames per appearance on the hill.
• He will match up with a Cardinals squad that is hitting .253 as a unit (fourth in MLB). It is also slugging a collective .395 (15th in MLB) with 56 total home runs (16th in MLB).
• This season, the 25-year-old ranks eighth in ERA (2.10), fifth in WHIP (.917), and first in K/9 (12.5) among pitchers who qualify.

Cardinals Starter Miles Mikolas

• Mikolas (4-3) will take the mound for the Cardinals, his 12th start of the season.
• The right-hander gave up four earned runs and allowed eight hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched against the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
• The 33-year-old has pitched in 11 games this season with an ERA of 3.02, a 3.4 strikeout to walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.142.
• He has earned a quality start six times in 11 starts this season.
• Mikolas has 10 starts in a row of five innings or more.
• The Rays have scored 238 runs this season, which ranks 18th in MLB. They are batting .232 for the campaign with 53 home runs, 20th in the league.
• Among qualified pitchers this year, the 33-year-old’s 3.02 ERA ranks 24th, 1.142 WHIP ranks 29th, and 7 K/9 ranks 45th.

Rays Betting Picks & Insights

• The Rays have won 27, or 62.8%, of the 43 games they’ve played as favorites this season.
• Tampa Bay has a record of 7-5, a 58.3% win rate, when favored by -185 or more by bookmakers this season.
• The bookmakers’ moneyline implies a 64.9% chance of a victory for the Rays.
• Tampa Bay’s games have gone over the total in 25 of their 56 chances.
• The Rays have an ATS record of 27-29-0 in 56 games with a spread this season.

Cardinals Betting Picks & Insights

• The Cardinals have been underdogs in 30 games this season and have come away with the win 15 times (50%) in those contests.
• St. Louis has been listed as an underdog of +158 or more on two occasions this season and lost both games.
• Oddsmakers have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Cardinals have a 38.8% chance of pulling out a win.
• St. Louis and their opponents have hit the over in 28 of their 58 games with a total set by oddsmakers this season.
• In 57 games with a line this season, the Cardinals have a mark of 31-26-0 against the spread.

Rays Leaders & Batting Stats

• Randy Arozarena is the Rays best power hitter, hitting six round-trippers this season in addition to accumulating 28 RBI, both team highs.
• Arozarena ranks 85th in home runs and 55th in RBI among all hitters in baseball.
• Yandy Diaz has a club-best .281 batting average.
• Diaz is 200th in home runs and 235th in RBI on the season.
• Margot is batting .319 with seven doubles, a triple, three home runs and 14 walks.
• Margot is on a two-game hitting streak entering this contest. During his last five outings he is hitting .300 with two doubles and three walks.
• Harold Ramirez has seven doubles, two home runs and seven walks while batting .284.
• Ramirez has recorded at least one hit in two straight games. During his last five outings he is hitting .353 with two doubles, a walk and four RBI.

Cardinals Leaders & Batting Stats

• Paul Goldschmidt leads the lineup with a batting average of .341, and leads the Cardinals in home runs, with 12 and runs batted in with 47.
• Among all hitters in the majors, Goldschmidt’s home run total is 16th and his RBI tally is third.
• Goldschmidt carries a four-game hitting streak into this matchup. During his last five outings he is batting .263 with a double and three walks.
• Tommy Edman has eight doubles, three triples, five home runs and 24 walks while batting .279.
• Among all MLB hitters, Edman ranks 115th in homers and 99th in RBI.
• Nolan Arenado is hitting .272 with 13 doubles, 10 home runs and 22 walks.
• Harrison Bader is hitting .275 with five doubles, a triple, five home runs and 10 walks.

Betting Tips for Rays vs. Cardinals

Our best bet is the Cardinals on the moneyline at +158 after analyzing all of the key trends and stats for this matchup. Our computer projects the scoring will over the total of 7 runs.