Barstool Bush
Predictions

Tampa Bay Rays at Los Angeles Dodgers

By Bush StaffUpdated 67d ago·2 min read
Tampa Bay RaysTB(41-28)
Los Angeles DodgersLAD(46-27)
0—1
FINAL
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TB
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LAD
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Tampa Bay dropped the opener 4-3 on Monday and now sends its best arm to the mound to avoid going down 2-0 in LA. Rasmussen (6-2, 2.71) is coming off seven scoreless and 13 punchouts against Boston on June 10, the kind of start that turns a good year into an All-Star case. Wrobleski (7-2, 2.95) goes for the Dodgers on 4 days' rest — a rarity in their 6-man rotation, but they're shuffling him up so Ohtani stays on his weekly schedule.

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FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Rays(41-28)
LWLLW
0
Dodgers(46-27)
WLWLW
1
Best BetRays +123
Pregame

The Rays as a plus-money dog with Rasmussen on the bump is a fair price you take. He just punched out 13 with a 0.88 WHIP backing him, and Wrobleski is coming off his worst start of the year on short rest after a leg shot. Dodgers are priced like the better team — they are — but not this matchup.

Wrobleski's last outing was a clunker — 4.2 innings, 4 earned, 1 strikeout against the Pirates — and he took a comebacker off the right hamstring before exiting. He's cleared to start, but the Rays' lineup just put 8 on the Angels on Sunday and has a much sharper bat than Pittsburgh. If Wrobleski's command isn't there early, this thing tilts fast in a hurry. Tommy Edman is expected back off the 60-day IL on Tuesday, which gives the Dodgers a real second baseman and lengthens the order a notch.

Tampa Bay Rays
Drew Rasmussen
(7-4)·2.45 ERA
Jun 10 vs Red Sox
W
7.0IP
0ER
13K
1BB
97P
06/16 Lineup
Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Wrobleski
(9-2)·2.71 ERA
Jun 11 @ Pirates
ND
4.2IP
4ER
1K
2BB
80P
06/16 Lineup
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
(41-28)
Jun 16L@ Dodgers3-4
Jun 14W@ Angels8-3
Jun 14L@ Angels0-8
Jun 13L@ Angels3-4
Jun 10Wvs Red Sox7-5
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
(46-27)
Jun 16Wvs Rays4-3
Jun 14L@ White Sox4-6
Jun 13W@ White Sox7-1
Jun 12L@ White Sox2-8
Jun 11W@ Pirates8-6

Tampa's been a weird watch lately — 2-3 in the last 5 with the offense oscillating between 8-run outbursts and shutouts. They got no-hit through what felt like forever in Anaheim, then turned around and hung 8 on the Angels the next day. The Dodgers are 3-2 in their last 5 and just dropped a road series in Chicago to the White Sox, which is the kind of result that ages badly if it keeps happening. Both teams should be locked in for this one.

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-ILTeoscar Hernandez (LF) — Hernandez (hamstring) is expected to ramp up his baseball activities this week, and if all goes well, he could be sent out on a rehab assignment by the weekend, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.06/15
  • 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-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) has yet to resume throwing, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.06/16
  • 60-Day-ILEdwin Diaz (RP) — Diaz (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this week, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.06/15
  • 60-Day-ILTommy Edman (2B) — Edman (ankle) is expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.06/15
  • 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-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

The injury sheet is where this matchup gets really interesting. The Dodgers are still without Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Teoscar Hernandez and Will Smith, and the bullpen has been carrying water all year with Phillips, Graterol, and Casparius all on the IL. Tampa lost Ryan Pepiot for the season to hip surgery back in May, which is exactly why a Rasmussen start carries this much weight right now. Neither team is at full strength — the Dodgers are just better at hiding it because the lineup is the lineup.

First pitch is 7:10 PM PT. Rays need this one — getting swept on the road by a 46-27 Dodgers club is the kind of week that flips the AL East race, and they've got their guy on the mound to make sure it doesn't happen.

Sources

MLBTampa Bay RaysLos Angeles DodgersPolymarketKalshiDrew RasmussenJustin Wrobleski