The Cleveland Guardians (65-66) and Tampa Bay Rays (64-68) will face off in the MLB today. First pitch from Progressive Field is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on MLB Network.
Tampa Bay is a -136 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Cleveland is +112 to pull off the upset. The over/under is set at 7.5 total runs.
Continue below for my Rays vs Guardians prediction and MLB picks for Wednesday, August 27, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
Our Rays vs Guardians Prediction
- Rays vs Guardians pick: Under 7.5
Our Guardians vs. Rays best bet is on the under. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Rays vs Guardians Odds
| Rays Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +124 | 7.5 -118o / -103u | -136 |
| Guardians Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -151 | 7.5 -118o / -103u | +112 |
Rays vs Guardians Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Drew Rasmussen (TBR) | Stat | RHP Slade Cecconi (CLE) |
|---|---|---|
| 10-5 | W-L | 5-6 |
| 2.8 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.2 |
| 2.62/3.44 | ERA /xERA | 4.41/5.68 |
| 3.50/3.47 | FIP / xFIP | 4.96/4.23 |
| 0.99 | WHIP | 1.28 |
| 17.0% | K-BB% | 13.0% |
| 49.7% | GB% | 40.0% |
| 112 | Stuff+ | 92 |
| 102 | Location+ | 102 |
Rays vs Guardians Betting Preview, Pick
This is Game 3 of the series. Tampa Bay opened with a dominant 9-0 win on Monday before Cleveland answered Tuesday with a 3-0 victory, snapping both a six-game losing streak and a 28-inning scoreless drought. Parker Messick delivered seven shutout innings to headline that bounce-back effort.
Drew Rasmussen gets the ball for the Rays, while the Guardians turn to Slade Cecconi, who is coming off a strong outing in Texas (6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 K, 0 BB).
The betting angle points toward the Under 7.5 runs. This matchup fits into Evan Abrams’ “Wind Whisper Unders” system, which has quietly cashed in games where weather and market signals align toward suppressed scoring.
The total here opened higher before ticking down into the 7.5 range, and with conditions forecasted to favor pitchers—wind patterns helping keep fly balls in check and moderate late-August temperatures—the setup is right for another low-scoring contest.
With both teams coming off back-to-back shutouts in this series and a pair of capable arms on the mound, the Under 7.5 looks like the sharp play.
Rays vs Guardians Best Bet
- Under 7.5 (-105, Fanatics)
