- What: MLB Regular Season Game
- When: June 30, 2025
- Who: Athletics vs. Tampa Bay Rays
- Time: 4:35 p.m. PST
- Where: George M. Steinbrenner Field (Tampa, FL)
Tonight marks the start of a three-game series between the Rays and the Athletics. This matchup also marks their first encounter of the season.
The Athletics have had a disappointing season despite a few standout players in their lineup. They hold the third-worst record and the second-worst run differential in the league.
The Rays have quietly made a strong impression this season. They are currently just 1.5 games back of the Yankees for the AL East lead.
Pitching Matchup
Drew Rasmussen has been remarkably reliable since joining the Rays in 2021. He has maintained an ERA below 3.00 each season, though he hasn’t consistently accumulated many innings pitched.
This year, however, he has already logged more innings than in the previous two seasons combined, marking a promising start to his 2025 campaign. He’s set to take the mound for Monday’s series opener.
Rasmussen will be pitching against Jacob Lopez, a former Rays player. Lopez pitched only 22.2 innings with Tampa Bay during his first two seasons but has now pitched 43 innings in his third MLB season, sporting a 3.56 ERA.
While Lopez has had a respectable season, he faces a formidable Rays lineup. Tampa Bay is one of seven teams that have surpassed 400 runs this season.
The challenge is compounded by the fact that the Athletics have given up the second-most runs, only trailing the Rockies.
With the expected support from the Rays’ offense, even if Rasmussen has a less-than-stellar performance, the team will still likely come out on top.
The Rays are likely to win this matchup, but the -170 moneyline doesn’t offer much value.
Similarly, the -1.5 run line at +115 isn’t appealing, especially since the Athletics can also score. A better option is to take the over at eight runs, which is the best bet for this game.
The Rays boast one of the best offenses, while the Athletics sit around the middle in terms of scoring.
If the Rays can capitalize on Lopez early, this game could really rack up the runs and make the over bet worthwhile.
Best Bet: Over 8 Runs at -120 odds
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
