Milwaukee Brewers at Tampa Bay Rays odds and predictions

The Milwaukee Brewers (24-20) play the middle contest of a 3-game interleague series with the Tampa Bay Rays (33-13) Saturday at Tropicana Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET (FS1). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Brewers vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Rays lead 1-0; Brewers won the season series 4-0 in 2022

The Brewers came up short in a 1-0 game Friday in the series opener. Milwaukee has had a power outage on offense lately, scoring just 4 runs in the last 4 games and being held scoreless in its last 2 outings.

The Rays win Friday snapped a 2-game losing skid. Tampa Bay is just 4-6 across the previous 10 outings, allowing 4.6 runs per game (RPG), which is more than a full run over the team’s season ERA of 3.38.

Brewers at Rays projected starters

LHP Eric Lauer vs. RHP Zach Eflin

Lauer (4-4, 4.54 ERA) makes his 8th start and 9th appearance. He has a 1.44 WHIP, 4.1 BB/9 and 8.8 K/9 in 39 2/3 innings.

• Last start: Win, 5 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K in a 9-6 home win vs. the Kansas City Royals Sunday
• Road splits this season: 3-1, 1.90 ERA (23 2/3 IP, 5 ER), .214 OBA in 4 starts

Eflin (5-1, 3.38 ERA) makes his 8th start. He has a 1.08 WHIP, 1.1 BB/9 and 9.9 K/9 in 40 IP innings.

• Last start: Win, 6 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 9 K in an 8-7 road win vs. the New York Yankees Sunday
• Home splits this season: 4-0, 1.96 ERA (23 IP, 5 ER), .212 OBA in 4 starts

Brewers at Rays odds

BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:10 a.m. ET.

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Brewers at Rays picks and predictions

Prediction

Rays 4, Brewers 1

The Rays (-210) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s too much risk for a singular bet. In fact, even as part of a multi-team parlay, including Tampa Bay sucks all of the value out of your ticket.

PASS.

The RAYS -1.5 (+100) are a solid play on the run line at even money.

The Rays are 8-1 straight up in 9 interleague games as favorites — and 7-2 on the run line in those outings.

The Brewers are just 1-5 in the past 6 games as underdogs and covered the run line in just one of those outings.

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The UNDER 7.5 (+100) is a solid play at even money.

Milwaukee has scored 4 total runs in the past 4 games and has been blanked in the past 2 outings.

Tampa Bay has cashed the Under in each of the past 2 games while allowing just 3 total runs.

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