The struggling Cleveland Indians will start a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday night at home. The visiting Rays are heavy -190 favorites to take the series opener.
Over the past week, the Rays have lost their spot atop the AL East standings. They were swept in three games by the Yankees last weekend and then split a two-game set with the Dodgers at home the past two days. However, with their win on Wednesday, Tampa Bay managed to snap a four-game losing skid, something they hope can help get them back on track in Cleveland.
Speaking of four-game losing streaks, that’s exactly what the Indians are trying to avoid on Thursday. Cleveland was just swept by Oakland in a three-game series, dropping it to just two games over .500. The Indians were favorites in the AL Central heading into the season, but they’re currently seven games behind the Twins.
Getting His Chance
Adam Plutko will get the start for Cleveland on Thursday. With three starters on the IL, Plutko, who’s had his share of injury issues in the past, is getting a chance in the starting rotation. In 12 starts and five relief appearances last season, Plutko produced a 5.28 ERA. His first start in the majors this season went well, giving up just one run on one hit over six innings. The caveat is that start came against the lowly Orioles.
Obviously, the Rays will present more of a challenge for Plutko, especially after scoring eight runs on Wednesday to get back on track offensively. The top part of the Tampa Bay lineup features five hitters with an OPS over .800, most notably leadoff hitter Austin Meadows, who owns a .336 batting average and 1.077 OPS. Meadows, along with Tommy Pham and Brandon Lowe, have been leading the way over the past week, giving the Rays plenty of options to do some damage against Plutko.
Building a Mystery
As of Thursday morning, the Rays haven’t announced their starter. Reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell would be on regular rest, so he might be the most likely option. The Rays have used Jalen Beeks and Yonny Chirinos, their two most trustworthy long relievers, the past two days, so both are unlikely to feature on Thursday. Ryne Stanek, the team’s top “opener,” got five outs at the start of Wednesday’s game, making him unlikely to pitch again on Thursday.
Of course, the Indians aren’t the most potent offensive team, regardless of who they’ll be facing. They had a couple of outbursts over the weekend against Baltimore but scored just nine total runs during their three-game set with Oakland. Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana are both going good at the moment, but no one else in the lineup has produced much this week.
Unconvinced
Even without knowing Tampa Bay’s starter, it’s hard to be convinced by the Indians. Considering the moneyline, this is a good spot to pick an underdog, especially at home. But Plutko could struggle against a Tampa lineup that got back on track Wednesday. Bet on the Rays -190 to win in Cleveland on Thursday.
