Barstool Bush
Predictions

Tampa Bay Rays at Los Angeles Dodgers

By Bush StaffUpdated 68d ago·2 min read
Tampa Bay RaysTB(41-27)
Los Angeles DodgersLAD(45-27)
3—4
FINAL
123456789RHE
TB
210000000380
LAD
03000010—470

On paper this is a top-of-the-NL West juggernaut against a wild-card-caliber Rays club, but the arms tell a very different story. Martinez has been one of the more quietly excellent starters in the AL, and Lauer's 5.47 ERA is the kind of number that tends to find trouble fast in a building that plays second in the majors for home runs.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Rays(41-27)
WLLWW
3
Dodgers(45-27)
LWLWL
4
Best BetRays +135
Pregame

Getting Martinez at a plus number against a 5.47-ERA starter is exactly the kind of price that doesn't last. The Dodgers are -152 on reputation and lineup depth, but with their rotation in tatters and the matchup tilted toward Tampa's ace-in-disguise, the value is on the road dog.

Martinez is coming off seven innings of three-run ball against Boston on 73 pitches — efficient, in command, and stretching deeper than the Rays usually let him. Lauer's last outing was actually solid (5.2 IP, 2 ER in Pittsburgh), but he's an extreme flyball pitcher walking into the wrong ballpark against a Dodgers lineup that, even shorthanded, still runs Ohtani-Betts-Freeman through the top three.

Tampa Bay Rays
Nick Martinez
(7-2)·2.66 ERA
Jun 9 vs Red Sox
W
7.0IP
3ER
2K
0BB
73P
06/15 Lineup
Los Angeles Dodgers
Eric Lauer
(3-5)·4.87 ERA
Jun 9 @ Pirates
ND
5.2IP
2ER
5K
0BB
89P
06/15 Lineup
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
(41-27)
Jun 14W@ Angels8-3
Jun 14L@ Angels0-8
Jun 13L@ Angels3-4
Jun 10Wvs Red Sox7-5
Jun 9Wvs Red Sox4-3
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(45-27)
Jun 14L@ White Sox4-6
Jun 13W@ White Sox7-1
Jun 12L@ White Sox2-8
Jun 11W@ Pirates8-6
Jun 10L@ Pirates8-9

The Dodgers come home off a brutal road trip — they just got walked off by the White Sox and have alternated wins and losses for two weeks. Tampa Bay is the steadier club at 41-27 and just took the back end of a doubleheader 8-3 in Anaheim, so the travel/momentum spot leans Rays more than the moneyline suggests.

The injury sheets are what really tilt this. Los Angeles is missing Will Smith behind the plate, Teoscar Hernandez and Enrique Hernandez out of the lineup, plus a rotation hollowed out by Snell, Glasnow, Stone, Miller, and Knack — which is exactly why Lauer is on the mound to begin with. Tampa is dealing with its own bullpen attrition (Uceta, Wilson, Heasley, Scholtens) and lost Pepiot for the year, but Martinez taking the ball nullifies most of that for one night.

Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
(12)
  • Day-To-DayAustin Vernon (RP) — The Rays have shut Vernon down from throwing due to right elbow soreness, per MLB.com.05/08
  • Day-To-DayAlfredo Zarraga (RP) — no05/08
  • 10-Day-ILJonny DeLuca (RF) — DeLuca (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.06/08
  • 10-Day-ILJake Fraley (RF) — Rays manager Kevin Cash said Monday that Fraley (hernia) will require surgery and will face a recovery timeline of 6-to-8 weeks, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.05/18
  • 15-Day-ILJesse Scholtens (RP) — Scholtens was charged with a blown save and dropped to 5-3 on the season in Monday's 9-7 loss to the Orioles in 13 innings after yielding five runs (three earned) on four hits across 1.1 frames. He struck out one batter.05/27
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Lux (LF) — Lux (shoulder) is scheduled to take live batting practice against teammate Craig Kimbrel (wrist) on Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.06/08
  • 60-Day-ILJonathan Heasley (RP) — Heasley was returned to the major-league roster and placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right elbow stress reaction.06/08
  • 60-Day-ILManuel Rodriguez (RP) — Rodriguez (elbow) has no timetable to progress to facing live hitters, MLB.com reports.05/30
  • 60-Day-ILSteven Wilson (RP) — The Rays hope Wilson (back) will be able to start bullpen sessions June 8, MLB.com reports.05/30
  • 60-Day-ILEdwin Uceta (RP) — Manager Kevin Cash said Friday that Uceta (shoulder) suffered a setback and received a PRP injection, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.05/29
  • 60-Day-ILMichael Grove (RP) — Grove (shoulder) started a rehab assignment with the Florida Complex League Rays on Saturday.05/28
  • 60-Day-ILRyan Pepiot (SP) — Pepiot will undergo surgery on his right hip May 13 and miss the rest of the 2026 season, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.05/08
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(18)
  • Day-To-DayJustin Wrobleski (SP) — Manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Wrobleski (hamstring) is expected to be able to make his next start, Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports.06/12
  • Day-To-DayChris Campos (SP)
  • 10-Day-ILWill Smith (C) — The Dodgers will place Smith (neck) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.06/11
  • 10-Day-ILTeoscar Hernandez (LF) — Hernandez (hamstring) said Saturday that he expects to return from the injured list in about a month, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.05/30
  • 10-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez (1B) — Hernandez is expected to be out for 6-to-8 weeks after sustaining a "significant tear" of his left oblique during Tuesday's 15-6 win over the Rockies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/28
  • 15-Day-ILBrock Stewart (RP) — Stewart (foot) will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Ontario on Friday.06/12
  • OutKendall George (CF) — George hasn't played for Double-A Tulsa since suffering an injury to his left patellar tendon in a May 25 game versus Northwest Arkansas, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.06/09
  • 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow (SP) — Glasnow (back) is "beginning to feel better," and he may be able to resume playing catch soon, per MLB.com.06/14
  • 60-Day-ILTommy Edman (2B) — Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Edman (ankle) could return from the injured list Tuesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.06/12
  • 60-Day-ILBlake Snell (SP) — Snell (elbow) began playing catch Friday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.06/06
  • 60-Day-ILEvan Phillips (RP) — Phillips (elbow) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, yielding one hit and one walk over two-thirds of a scoreless frame.06/05
  • 60-Day-ILBobby Miller (SP) — Miller (shoulder/back) will resume throwing off the mound this week, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Stone (SP) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Tuesday that Stone has been unable to ramp up his throwing without feeling soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder, Cody Snavely of DodgersBeat.com reports.06/03
  • 60-Day-ILBrusdar Graterol (RP) — Graterol (shoulder) underwent surgery recently for a back injury he suffered while on a rehab assignment, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.06/01
  • 60-Day-ILEdwin Diaz (RP) — Diaz (elbow) is expected to start a throwing progression Tuesday or Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/25
  • 60-Day-ILBen Casparius (RP) — Casparius (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list Monday.05/19
  • 60-Day-ILLandon Knack (SP) — The Dodgers transferred Knack (chest) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILJake Cousins (RP) — The Dodgers transferred Cousins (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/08

Tommy Edman could be activated as soon as Tuesday, per Dave Roberts, which would be a needed jolt for a Dodgers offense that's been carrying the team while the staff churns. For Monday, though, this is a classic spot where the home favorite is paying for the logo rather than the pitcher — and the visiting team has the arm you'd actually rather start a tight game with.

Sources

MLBTampa Bay RaysLos Angeles DodgersPolymarketKalshiNick MartinezEric Lauer