The Tampa Bay Rays are set to host the Cleveland Guardians again tonight for Game 2 of the ALCS at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Game 1 didn’t go as planned for the American League’s No. 1 seed, as the Guardians stole a road win to open the series and extend their playoff winning streak to four games.
The Rays struck first Monday night with RBI singles from Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead, but the Guardians kept battling and mounted a late comeback. Rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter put Cleveland on the board with a solo home run in the sixth inning, the first playoff home run of his career. Patrick Bailey then hit a game-tying solo shot in the seventh before Nathaniel Lowe came through with a go-ahead two-RBI single in the eighth to put the Guardians on top 4-2.
Cedric Mullins hit a solo home run in the eighth inning for the Rays to cut the deficit to one, but the Guardians added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth to secure a 7-3 victory and take a 1-0 series lead.
The Guardians will hand the ball to All-Star rookie left-hander Parker Messick for Game 2 tonight as he looks to keep Cleveland’s momentum going and steal another road win. Messick made two starts in the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox, but he hasn’t replicated his regular season success, posting an 0-1 record with a 5.40 ERA over 6.2 innings across those two outings. The 25-year-old will look to get back on track tonight.
Veteran right-hander Freddy Peralta is set to start for the Rays in Game 2 after ending the regular season on a high note with a 0.96 ERA across five September starts. His recent success carried over into the MLB playoffs when he allowed just three hits and one earned run over 4.2 innings in Tampa Bay’s Game 2 win over the New York Yankees in the ALDS.
Check out our Guardians vs. Rays predictions, picks, and more below ahead of tonight’s ALCS Game 2 at Tropicana Field.
Guardians vs. Rays Odds Tonight for Game 2
The Rays may have lost Game 1, but Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook still lists Tampa Bay as the home favorite for Game 2:
- Moneyline: Rays -135, Guardians +115
- Run Line: Rays -1.5 (+160), Guardians +1.5 (-195)
- Total (Runs): Over 6.5 (-130), Under 6.5 (+105)
Guardians vs. Rays ALCS Winner Odds
The Guardians are now favored at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook to win the ALCS following their 7-3 road victory in Game 1:
- Guardians to Win ALCS: -150
- Rays to Win ALCS: +130
Guardians vs. Rays Predictions
If you haven’t already, head over to Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook to get in on the MLB playoff action. Even if you’re not too familiar with the sport or teams involved, the Stats Hub offers valuable baseball betting insights and trends to help make more informed wagers, such as our Guardians vs. Rays prediction below:
Rays vs. Guardians Best Bet: Over 6.5 Runs (-130)
The Guardians are rolling right now, and their offense is a large reason why, averaging 6.75 runs per game during their four-game winning streak. Four of Cleveland’s six playoff games this year have gone Over 6.5 runs, and the Stats Hub also notes that each of the Guardians’ last four road playoff games has gone Over the total runs line.
The Rays’ offense hasn’t been putting up the same number of runs as the Guardians so far this postseason. However, outside of Game 1 of the ALDS, when Drew Rasmussen tossed eight shutout innings in Tampa Bay’s 1-0 win, each of the Rays’ last three games has gone Over 6.5 runs.
The starting pitchers also factor into this pick. While Parker Messick had an incredible regular season, he has struggled a bit through his first two playoff starts. On the flip side, Freddy Peralta didn’t pitch his best during the regular season, but since September, he’s been lights out on the mound, including his playoff start against New York on Oct. 5.
It’s also important to note that starting pitchers typically have a short leash in playoff games, so the bullpens play a role here as well. Cleveland’s bullpen has been solid through six games, owning a 2.53 postseason ERA, while Tampa Bay’s bullpen has posted a 4.61 ERA in four playoff games.
- Rays vs. Guardians Total Pick for ALCS Game 2: Over 6.5 Runs (-130)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for CLE-TB
Hits props are dominating the player prop markets, with Rays third baseman Junior Caminero leading the way:
- Junior Caminero – Over 0.5 Hits
- Yandy Díaz – Over 0.5 Hits
- José Ramírez – Over 0.5 Hits
- Steven Kwan – Over 0.5 Hits
- Freddy Peralta – Over 3.5 Strikeouts
Guardians vs. Rays Betting Splits for Game 2
Here’s how the action is trending at Hard Rock Bet for ALCS Game 2 at the Trop tonight:
- Despite losing Game 1, the Rays are seeing more moneyline support with 78.8% of bets and 82.9% of the money.
- Tampa Bay is also attracting more run line support with 66.9% of bets and 89.3% of the money.
- The Over is attracting the majority of the action on the total with 83.9% of bets and 90.4% of the money.
Guardians vs. Rays Game Info
- 📍 Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
- ⏰ First Pitch: 8:00 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: TBS, truTV
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Guardians: Parker Messick
- Rays: Freddy Peralta
- 🏆 Stage: ALCS – Game 2
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Referenced odds are subject to change.
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