Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays

By Bush StaffUpdated 85d ago·2 min read
Los Angeles AngelsLAA(22-35)
Tampa Bay RaysTB(34-19)
58
FINAL
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LAA
0010100305102
TB
100000708101

First pitch is 6:10 PM ET at the Trop, and the market is treating this like a get-right spot for the home team. Pinnacle has the Rays at -173 on the moneyline with the total sitting at 7.5, which is exactly what you'd expect when Nick Martinez is on the mound against a team that just got 7 runs from its lineup against Detroit.

Los Angeles Angels
Walbert Ureña
(4-4)·2.44 ERA
May 23 vs Rangers
W
5.0IP
1ER
6K
3BB
93P
05/29 Lineup
Tampa Bay Rays
Nick Martinez
(6-2)·2.43 ERA
May 22 @ Yankees
ND
6.0IP
1ER
1K
1BB
94P
05/29 Lineup

Martinez has been doing things that don't really happen — a 1.51 ERA through 10 starts, the lowest mark by a traditional starter through 9 starts in Rays franchise history, and 10 consecutive starts of 2 or fewer earned runs. The Angels counter with rookie Walbert Ureña, who's been a quiet revelation since sliding into the rotation. He punched out 6 over 5 innings against Texas his last time out and is sitting on a 2.58 ERA in his debut MLB season.

Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels
(22-35)
May 28W@ Tigers7-1
May 27L@ Tigers0-4
May 26W@ Tigers10-6
May 24Wvs Rangers2-1
May 24Wvs Rangers5-2
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
(34-19)
May 27L@ Orioles2-11
May 26L@ Orioles1-6
May 25L@ Orioles7-9
May 24L@ Yankees0-2
May 23P@ Yankees0-0

The form lines tell the whole story of why this game is interesting. The Angels at 22-35 look like a team you'd flip past, except they've won 4 of their last 5, just dropped 10 on the Tigers, and finally have a starter pitching with some confidence. The Rays at 34-19 still have the best record in this matchup by a country mile, but they got outscored 26-10 across the Baltimore sweep and looked nothing like the team that ran out to the AL East lead.

The injury column is where this gets ugly for Tampa. The Rays are missing Jake Fraley, Jonny DeLuca and Gavin Lux in the outfield, plus Ryan Pepiot is done for the year after hip surgery. Add in day-to-day stuff with Taylor Walls (hamstring) and Griffin Jax (back contusion) and the depth chart is genuinely thinned out. The Angels aren't exactly whole either — Nolan Schanuel hit the IL with ankle tendinitis this week and Travis d'Arnaud still has no return timetable.

Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels
(7)
  • 10-Day-ILNolan Schanuel (1B)An MRI on Schanuel's left ankle revealed tendinitis, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/28
  • 10-Day-ILYoan Moncada (3B)Moncada isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/22
  • 10-Day-ILTravis d'Arnaud (C)D'Arnaud (foot) told reporters Saturday that he does not have a timetable for his return from the 10-day injured list, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/16
  • 60-Day-ILBen Joyce (RP)Manager Kurt Suzuki said Tuesday that Joyce (shoulder) has resumed his throwing program in Arizona, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/26
  • 60-Day-ILYusei Kikuchi (SP)Kikuchi (shoulder) said Wednesday that he's slated to begin a throwing program soon and expressed hope that he'll be able to return to the Angels early in the second half of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/22
  • 60-Day-ILRobert Stephenson (RP)The Angels announced that Stephenson underwent ligament and flexor repair surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILAnthony Rendon (3B)The Angels placed Rendon (hip) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
(17)
  • Day-To-DayTaylor Walls (SS)Walls (hamstring) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game in Baltimore.05/27
  • Day-To-DayGriffin Jax (RP)Jax was diagnosed with a back contusion following his removal from Tuesday's game against Baltimore, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.05/27
  • 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-DayKeyshawn Askew (RP)no05/08
  • Day-To-DayTre' Morgan (1B)Triple-A Durham placed Morgan on the 7-day injured list with a quad injury, Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline reports.05/08
  • Day-To-DayAlfredo Zarraga (RP)no05/08
  • 10-Day-ILJonny DeLuca (RF)DeLuca is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks after an MRI revealed a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.05/25
  • 10-Day-ILBen Williamson (2B)Rays manager Kevin Cash said that Williamson is not in the lineup for Monday's game versus the Orioles due to back tightness, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.05/20
  • 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
  • 15-Day-ILCole Sulser (RP)Sulser earned the save Tuesday against the Blue Jays, retiring the side in order in the ninth inning.05/18
  • 60-Day-ILMichael Grove (RP)Grove (shoulder) started a rehab assignment with the Florida Complex League Rays on Saturday.05/28
  • 60-Day-ILGavin Lux (LF)The Rays transferred Lux (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/27
  • 60-Day-ILSteven Wilson (RP)The Rays placed Wilson (back) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
  • 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
  • 60-Day-ILManuel Rodriguez (RP)The Rays placed Rodriguez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILEdwin Uceta (RP)The Rays transferred Uceta (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.05/08

The bet here, if there is one, comes down to whether you trust the Martinez run to keep going or whether you think a Rays lineup that just scored 10 runs over 3 games can wake up at home. Ureña has earned the start, but he hasn't seen an opposing pitcher on this kind of heater all year. The under at 7.5 (-124) is the number doing the most work — two pitchers with ERAs starting with a 1 and a 2, banged-up lineups on both sides, and a ballpark that doesn't reward homer-or-bust at-bats.

MLBLos Angeles AngelsTampa Bay RaysPolymarketKalshiWalbert UreñaNick Martinez