Cardinals vs Rays Picks, Odds & Prediction (Aug. 9): Jalen Beeks Has a Day

Less than 24 hours after likely losing Shane McClanahan for the season, the Tampa Bay Rays are set to host the St. Louis Cardinals for the second time in as many nights. After the first Cardinals vs Rays matchup when in Tampa Bay's favor, time will tell if history repeats itself.

🗣️ Let's gooooo#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/wyggRWBXJK

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 9, 2023

The Rays are searching for their third straight victory after last night's 4-2 victory over the Cardinals. The score was tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning before Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, and Randy Arozarena each hit RBI singles to lead Tampa Bay to victory.

Do the Cardinals have what it takes to notch a rare road win? Or will the Rays continue their winning ways at home?

Here's a look at everything you know heading into tonight's Cardinals vs Rays game, from the latest betting odds to a prediction with the best betting recommendation, courtesy of Betting News.

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Rays Game Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: St. Louis Cardinals (49-65, 24-32 Away) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (69-46, 38-19 Home)
• Venue & Location: Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, Florida)
• Date: Wednesday, August 9, 2023
• Game Time: 6:40 p.m. Eastern Time
• Where to Watch Cardinals vs Rays: MLB.TV, ESPN+

Cardinals vs Rays Odds

Game odds as of Wednesday, August 9 at 10:28 a.m. ET from BetOnline. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• St. Louis Cardinals +1.5 (-145)
• Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (+125)

Over/Under

• Over 9 Runs (-119)
• Under 9 Runs (-101)

Moneyline

• St. Louis Cardinals +144
• Tampa Bay Rays -157

Cardinals vs Rays Starting Pitchers

• Cardinals: Dakota Hudson (8 games/2 starts — 2-0, 4.10 ERA)
• Rays: Jalen Beeks (27 games/7 starts — 2-3, 6.27 ERA)

Cardinals vs Rays Betting Trends

• St. Louis is 0-5 straight up in its last five games against Tampa Bay.
• Tampa Bay is 9-3 straight up in its last 12 games against the NL Central.
• The total has hit the under in eight of St. Louis' last 10 games.
• The total has hit the under in eight of Tampa Bay's last 11 home games.
• The total has hit the under in four of the last five St. Louis-Tampa Bay matchups.

Cardinals vs Rays Game Preview

The Rays head into this game just two games back of the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East lead. Defeating the Cardinals again would go a long way in helping Kevin Cash's club in the divisional race.

The good news for the home team is that the Cardinals have been dreadful on the road lately. They've dropped five of their last seven road games, scoring just three or fewer runs in four of those games.

Making matters worse for the Cards is their inability to win at Tropicana Field. They head into tonight's matchup following five straight losses in St. Petersburg, losing those games by an average margin of 3.2 runs.

Although the Rays haven't been all that consistent at home over the last few weeks, they're still 38-19 at Tropicana Field this season. Furthermore, they're 8-3 in their previous 11 matchups against an NL Central club.

The Cardinals look to rebound from last night's loss as Dakota Hudson gets tonight's start. The 28-year-old hurler is 2-0 with a 4.10 ERA in eight games this season but has only started two outings thus far.

In the two games where he started, Hudson allowed five runs on seven hits while striking out eight batters over 10 innings.

On the other side, Jalen Beeks starts for the Rays. He's played as a reliever for the majority of the 2023 MLB season but has thrived as a starter, pitching to a 1.88 ERA while averaging 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings in seven starts.

Something that certainly works in Beeks' favor is that the Cardinals are just 11-16 against left-handed pitchers this season. Taking that and combining it with St. Louis' lack of road success means that the 30-year-old has a great chance to continue that success tonight.

Cardinals vs Rays Prediction and Picks

Cardinals vs Rays Prediction: Rays 5, Cardinals 2

Cardinals vs Rays Best Bet: Rays -1.5 (Best Value: +125 on BetOnline ) & Under 9 Total Runs (-101 on BetOnline)

With the Cardinals being one of the MLB's worst clubs, the Rays have no business losing tonight. Beeks has been electric on the mound and will take advantage of St. Louis' struggle with lefties. The motivation to close the AL East gap will only further push Tampa Bay to victory.

Another Cardinals vs Rays bet I like is the under on the 9-run total. Not only is the under 8-2 in St. Louis' last 10 games, but it's also 8-3 in Tampa Bay's previous 11 home outings. That isn't even to mention how the under has hit four times in the last five matchups between these clubs.

With Beeks playing well and the Cardinals struggling to generate offense on the road, taking the under seems more than appropriate.

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