Tampa Bay hosts Arizona on Friday in the first of a three-game series in which the Rays will be favored in MLB gambling in each contest. Tampa Bay has a far better record than Arizona in baseball gambling and on Friday they have a definite pitching advantage as well. MLB gambling odds on the Diamondbacks will have them underdogs in almost all of their road games. They are beginning a six-game road trip and Arizona simply doesn’t win that often away from home. They do have Edwin Jackson going in this game and he has the potential to pitch well even though he is 4-6 on the season with a 5.05 ERA. He is opposed in this game by Tampa’s Jeff Niemann who is 6-1 with a 2.84 ERA.
Jackson allowed three runs last time out in 7 2/3 innings against Detroit. Even though Jackson gives up runs he does give the Diamondbacks some innings. He has pitched six innings or more in nine straight starts. Jackson pitched for the Rays from 2006-08 so he will be looking to pitch well against his former team. He has pitched once in his career against the Rays and he allowed three runs on six hits in eight innings. Niemann gave up just two runs in six innings last time out against Florida. He gave up just three hits and one walk while striking out seven. Niemann has 11 quality starts this season in his 14 outings.
Tampa has owned this series in MLB gambling against the Diamondbacks, winning seven of the last nine games. The teams have not met since 2997 when Tampa won two of three on the road. The last time they met in Tampa Bay was in 2006 when the Rays swept the Diamondbacks vs. the MLB gambling odds.
Arizona has one of the worst road records in the league at 10-27 so it is hard to back them away from home in baseball gambling. Having Jackson on the mound is perhaps the only positive in this game against Tampa Bay. The Rays are actually far better on the road than they are at home. That does not mean they can’t win at home though as they still have a winning record at Tropicana Field. Tampa has excellent overall numbers as they are in the top five in both hitting and pitching so far this season.