Tampa Bay (78-80) at Detroit (84-74)
- When: Sep 26 2024, 1:10 PM
- Where: Comerica Park, Detroit
- Where to watch: BSSUN
Game Odds, Spread, Moneyline & Total
Tampa Bay Rays @ Detroit Tigers
Moneyline
Tampa Bay Rays +136
Detroit Tigers -162
Tampa Bay Rays @ Detroit Tigers
Runline
Tampa Bay Rays 1.5 (-160)
Detroit Tigers -1.5 (+135)
Tampa Bay Rays @ Detroit Tigers
Total
Over 7.5 (-110)
Under 7.5 (-110)
- Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
- Get real-time live scores & latest betting odds here!
Probable Pitchers:
Tampa Bay: Tyler Alexander (6-5, 5.35)
Detroit: Reese Olson (4-8, 3.49)
Team Stats
| Rays | Tigers | |
| 78-80 | Record | 84-74 |
| 36-41 | Away & Home | 43-38 |
| 5-5 | Last 10 | 8-2 |
| L2 | Streak | W4 |
Game Preview
The magic has returned to Detroit’s Comerica Park, and the Tigers’ magic number continues to dwindle.
With their latest victory, a 7-1 triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, the Tigers saw their magic number for securing an American League wild card drop to three. Detroit (84-74) is currently tied with the Kansas City Royals (84-74) for the second and third wild card spots, with the Royals holding the tiebreaker.
Both teams are two games ahead of the Minnesota Twins and 2.5 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners.
Having won four straight games and eight of their last nine, the Tigers have a chance to complete a series sweep against the Rays on Thursday afternoon.
"We still have a lot of baseball left to play," said Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson in a postgame interview. "I love our position right now. We’re winning every day and finding ways to improve. The city is behind us, and it’s been an incredible couple of weeks."
A crowd of 32,463 attended the game to support the red-hot Tigers, who were at .500 as recently as September 6. They have now won 13 of their last 16 games.
"We’re doing our best to make our city proud, and it’s paying off," said Detroit manager A.J. Hinch. "It meant a lot that our fans showed up. The atmosphere was electric, and this is what we want at Comerica."
Parker Meadows ignited the offense with a leadoff homer in the first inning, while Torkelson, who had struck out in his earlier at-bats, hit a two-run homer and followed it up with an RBI double.
"We need him to be a force," Hinch remarked about Torkelson. "He had some tough at-bats, but then he changed the game’s momentum."
As he has done throughout the second half of the season, Hinch played the matchup game with his pitching staff, cycling through six pitchers on Wednesday. Notably, 22-year-old right-hander Jackson Jobe made his big-league debut, pitching a scoreless ninth inning after being called up from Triple-A Toledo.
With the loss, Tampa Bay (78-80) was officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Rays were three games above .500 on May 18 but struggled, losing 16 of their next 24 games.
Despite entering Detroit on a four-game winning streak, the Rays’ back-to-back losses ended their postseason hopes.
"Things didn’t go as we had hoped at the beginning of the season, but we are where we are based on our performance," said Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash. "There’s optimism about finishing strong and looking ahead to next year."
Reese Olson (4-8, 3.49 ERA) is set to start for Detroit in the series finale. The right-hander has made two appearances since returning from a right shoulder strain that kept him out for nearly two months. After allowing four runs in 2 1/3 innings against Kansas City, he limited the Baltimore Orioles to one run in three innings during his last outing on Saturday. Olson is unlikely to pitch long enough to qualify for a win on Thursday.
He has faced the Rays once before, giving up four runs in five innings on August 4, 2023.
For Tampa Bay, left-hander Tyler Alexander (6-5, 5.35 ERA) will take the mound. In his latest outing, he pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays in a 1-0 victory for the Rays.
Alexander’s only career appearance against the Tigers came on April 24, where he allowed two runs in four innings of relief.
MLB Parlay Picks & Predictions
Final Score: Tampa Bay 4-3
The Pick: Tampa Bay +136 & Under 7½ (-110)
A $100 Parlay Bet will return $445
- MLB Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
