MLB Picks: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles

The Tampa Bay Rays (7-6) and Baltimore Orioles (5-7) will open up an American League East series Monday night, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are 27-19 as home underdogs of +100 to +125 the last two-plus seasonstimore

Tampa Bay is 3-3 on its current road trip, including a 12-4 setback to the Cincinnati Reds as +115 underdogs Sunday, while going OVER the betting total of 7.5. The Rays have struggled in the early going offensively, but Ben Zobrist may be able to lead the way in this affair, considering he’s 10 for 23 in his career against Baltimore’s scheduled starter. Tampa Bay is 28-22 on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 the last two-plus seasons, with the UNDER going 27-22 in that situation.

Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (1-0, 1.38 ERA) has led the club to back-to-back wins to open the season, but he didn’t earn a decision in a 1-0 road victory over the Kansas City Royals last week. The right-hander went 4-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 11 road outings a season ago, with opposing hitters batting .245 against him. In three appearances (two starts) versus the Orioles, Archer has compiled a 1-1 record and 3.60 ERA.

Baltimore has alternated wins and losses over its last four games, as it looks to bounce back from a 11-3 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays as -104 home underdogs Sunday, while going OVER the betting total of 9. The Orioles watched first baseman Chris Davis launch his first home run of the 2014 campaign last time out, which is a good sign after leading the league with 53 roundtrippers a year ago. Baltimore is 27-19 as home underdogs of +100 to +125 the last two-plus seasons.

Orioles starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen (1-1, 6.75 ERA) picked up a 14-5 road victory over the New York Yankees last time out, as he allowed four runs and nine hits over five innings of work. The left-hander was 4-2 with a 3.62 ERA in 10 home outings a season ago, with opposing hitters batting .247 against him. In eight lifetime efforts versus the Rays, Chen has tallied a losing 2-3 record and 3.04 ERA.