Shields Gets Start vs Rays
James Shields will make his first start against the team that traded him when the Kansas City Royals host the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. Shields was a major part of the Rays resurgence into a contender while earning the nickname “Big Game James” while with the Rays. He was 87-73 while with the Rays with a 3.89 ERA. He was an All-Star in 2011 and finished third in the A.L. Cy Young Award in 2011. He is the Rays all time leader in wins (87) games started (217) complete games (19) innings pitched (1,454.2) and strikeouts (1250).
He will go against Alex Cobb, who has pitched very well and was one of the reasons the Rays felt Shields was expendable. Cobb is 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA so far this season.
Shields and Wade Davis were traded to bolster the Royals pitching staff which so far this year has an ERA of over a run per game lower than last year. The Rays are so stocked with starting pitching that they could afford to lose a couple to get some prospects. Wil Myers is the top outfield prospect perhaps in the American League and he was the key player the Rays got in the trade.
BetOnline has the odds on tonight’s game:
Tampa Bay at Kansas City- The Rays are +1.5 -193 while the Royals are -1.5 +170 ATS. Moneyline is Rays +113 and Royals -123. Over/Under is 7.5 with over -105 and under -115. We like the Rays +1.5 with Cobb on the hill. We also like the under-115.
Other games:
Houston at New York Yankees- The Astros got a surprisingly easy win over the Yanks yesterday and Andy Pettitte. Odds are that won’t happen twice in a row.
Houston is +1.5 +115 while the Yankees are -1.5 -135. Moneyline has Houston +245 while the Yanks are -265. Over/Under is 8 with over and under both -110. We like the Yankees -1.5 and the over -110.
Washington at Atlanta- Two N.L. East contenders go at it in Atlanta.
Washington is +1.5 -225 while Atlanta is -1.5 +195. Moneyline has Washington -101 and the Braves are -109. Over/Under is 7 with over -120 and the under +100. We like the Braves -109 in this one and the under +100.
Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays- These two teams have flip-flopped in the A.L. East from where they were predicted to be. The are off to a fantastic start while the Jays are struggling mightily after upgrading the roster in the off-season.
The Sox are -1.5 +130 while the Jays are +1.5 -150 ATS. Moneyline has the Sox -118 and the Jays +108. Over/under is 8.5 with over and under both -110. We like the Sox -118 and the over -110.
