Find the TV Channel Information for Rays vs Cardinals – 8/7/24

Tampa Bay Rays

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St. Louis Cardinals

As the St. Louis Cardinals prepare to host the Tampa Bay Rays on August 7, 2024, both teams find themselves in a tight race, with records of 58-56 and 57-55, respectively. This Interleague matchup marks the second game of the series, and the Cardinals are looking to gain momentum after a recent victory. Notably, the Cardinals are averaging a respectable 3.84 runs per game, but their offense has been lackluster overall, ranking 20th in the league.

On the mound, the Cardinals will send Erick Fedde, who has had a solid season with a 3.34 ERA and a 7-5 record. Fedde’s performance is bolstered by a Power Ranking of 75th among MLB starting pitchers, indicating he has been above average this year. However, projections suggest he may be due for some regression, as his 4.02 xFIP indicates he has been a bit lucky so far. Fedde’s ability to limit earned runs is crucial, especially against a Rays offense that struggles with power, sitting at 26th in home runs this season.

Taj Bradley, the Rays’ starter, comes into the game with a stellar 2.71 ERA and a 6-5 record, ranking 44th among starting pitchers. While Bradley has been effective, projections also hint that he may face challenges, with his xFIP sitting at 3.30. Both pitchers are expected to go approximately 5.4 to 5.7 innings, which could set the stage for a battle of bullpens.

Given the Cardinals’ slight edge in the betting markets with a moneyline of -120, they may have an opportunity to capitalize on their home-field advantage. The Game Total is set at a low 7.5 runs, reflecting the anticipated pitchers’ duel. With Tommy Pham’s recent hot streak, recording 10 hits and 5 RBIs over the last week, the Cardinals may find the offensive spark they need to push through this close matchup.

Tampa Bay Rays Insights

• Taj Bradley – Over/Under 5.5 Strikeouts (+110/-145)
  Taj Bradley’s change-up usage has increased by 14.4% from last season to this one (13.9% to 28.3%) .
  Explain: Because change-ups are one of the most effective pitches to use, a pitcher who alters his pitch mix to use more of them will often see more success as a result.
• Dylan Carlson – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-150/+120)
  Dylan Carlson is projected to bat 5th on the lineup card in today’s game, which would be an upgrade from his 90% rate of hitting in the bottom-half of the batting order this year.
  Explain: The higher in the order a player bats, the more plate appearances he will get and the more opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits higher in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting lower.
• Tampa Bay Rays – 2H Moneyline
  The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen profiles as the 9th-best in baseball, per the leading projection system (THE BAT).
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.

St. Louis Cardinals Insights

• St. Louis Cardinals – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-125)
  In his previous GS, Erick Fedde allowed a staggering 5 earned runs.
  Explain: A pitcher who struggled in his last outing may have something wrong that affects him in his next outing as well.
• Masyn Winn – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+145/-185)
  Masyn Winn’s exit velocity on flyballs has fallen off this season; his 89.7-mph figure last year has dropped off to 87.2-mph.
  Explain: Most home runs are flyballs, and the harder those flyballs are hit, the more often they turn into home runs. This is a strong indicator of power.
• Nolan Arenado – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-195/+150)
  Nolan Arenado pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (42.4% — 99th percentile) and has the misfortune of hitting them towards the league’s 6th-deepest LF fences in today’s game.
  Explain: This player’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• Over/Under 7.5 Game Total (-110/-110)
  The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the Game Total Over in 15 of their last 23 games at home (+6.10 Units / 24% ROI)
• Tampa Bay Rays – Over/Under 1.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (-130/+100)
  The Tampa Bay Rays have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 67 of their last 110 games (+20.20 Units / 15% ROI)
• Tommy Pham – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-180/+140)
  Tommy Pham has hit the Hits Over in his last 9 games at home (+9.00 Units / 44% ROI)