Wednesday, September 23, 2020, Citi Field, New York, New York, 7:10 p.m. ET
Rays at Mets Betting Preview: Rays (-159), Mets (+135)
Tampa Bay Rays
After falling to the Mets 5-2 on Tuesday, the Rays (36-20) will get another chance Wednesday to clinch their first American League East title since 2010. Left-hander Blake Snell was solid in his final outing of the regular season, giving up three runs with nine strikeouts, but he needed a season-high 108 pitches to finish 5 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (4-1, 4.21 ERA) will pitch Wednesday, his last start before the postseason. Glasnow is coming off an outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday in which he gave up one run and struck out 10 in five innings. The Rays have come away winners in each of his past seven starts.
Willy Adames hit a home run in the second inning Tuesday, his eighth of the season, and he also scored on a wild pitch in the seventh.
New York Mets
Pete Alonso has struggled in his second major league season, but he did homer and drive in three runs Tuesday. It was his first multi-RBI game since Sept. 6, when he also had three. His 2-for-3 day lifted his batting average to .209.
New York (25-30) still has an outside shot for a National League playoff spot, but it would have to jump over four teams in order to get there. Right-hander Michael Wacha (1-3, 6.75 ERA) will start in the Mets’ final home game of the regular season. Left-hander Steven Matz could be used in relief.
Right fielder Michael Conforto has missed the past two games because of left hamstring tightness, but he might be able to return to the starting lineup Wednesday.
Rays at Mets Betting Pick for September 23, 2020
After letting a chance at an AL East clinch party slip away, the Rays do not figure to let it happen again with Glasnow on the mound. He is scheduled to be the team’s No. 2 starter behind Snell in the playoffs.
Even with their loss on Tuesday, the Rays are 19-6 on the road since Aug. 10. They are also 9-1-4 in their past 14 series.
Rays at Mets Betting Pick:
Rays 10, Mets 2
Rays at Mets Best Bet for September 23, 2020
A Wacha-Matz tag team for New York will be up against a hungry Tampa Bay offense that failed to pick up the club’s best pitcher Tuesday. The Rays figure to get to Wacha early and then carve up Matz late. The New York pitching duo have a combined 8.23 ERA this season.
Rays at Mets Best Bet: OVER the run total (8.5/-110)
–Field Level Media
