The Tampa Bay Rays have won at least 86 Games each non-Covid season since 2018, and they have made the MLB postseason in 5 straight years. In 2023, the Rays overcame a slew of injuries to win 99 Games. But for a 2nd straight October, Tampa Bay was ousted 2-0 in a Wild Card series.
In 2024, the Rays will have to overcome key players being out again. As usual for this franchise, not much has been added to the cupboard.
Let’s analyze the Tampa Bay Rays’ World Series odds, along with their projected win total, playoff, division and AL odds as we make our expert MLB picks and predictions.
Tampa Bay Rays World Series odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday, March 24, at 11:34 p.m. ET.
Odds: +3500 (bet $100 to win $3500)
Tampa is in the middle of the pack at +3500. The Los Angeles Dodgers (+350), Atlanta Braves (+450), and Houston Astros (+800) have the shortest odds. The Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and Oakland Athletics have the longest odds; all 3 are pegged at +50000.
At +3500, the Rays have an implied probability of winning the World Series of 2.78% or 35/1 fractional odds.
Albeit with a slight edge, this return does indeed have a value edge to it, especially for a franchise that has routinely outperformed expected wins over the last 5-6 years.
Take the RAYS (+3500) as a value play in World Series futures.
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Tampa Bay Rays playoff odds
Will they make the playoffs: Yes +120 | No -145
The AL East could well send 3 teams to the postseason bracket. With the Rays being a solid bet to be in that mix, the return here is strong.
BACK THE RAYS (+120).
Tampa Bay Rays win total
Over/Under: 85.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
The Rays added almost nothing in free agency. And they will for stretches be without the services of SS Wander Franco (likely to be placed on the restricted list or administrative leave) LHP Shane McClanahan (recovering from Tommy John surgery), RHP Drew Rasmussen (elbow, out until late season) and LHP Jeffrey Springs (recovering from Tommy John surgery).
But Tampa Bay does have perhaps better talent expected to take the field than what many bettors suspect. On offense, the Rays ranked in the top 5 in nearly every important offensive category. They were 6th in HRs. And Tampa pitching clocked a 3.87 ERA, a figure tied for 5th. On FanGraphs, the Rays’ expected Fielder Independent Pitching mark was a league-best 3.84. Tampa’s team defense ranked around league-average.
With unheralded returning production, valuable bench and relief pieces, and high-end prospects on the cusp, the Rays prospects for holding things together until the pitching comes back are decent. And maybe what was there last year was better than what showed on the surface, too. The club appeared to underplay its 5.31 runs per game, and 4.10 runs allowed. A 22-25 mark in 1-run games didn’t help.
So, peg the OVER 85.5 (-105) as being worthy of an account log-in.
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To win AL East Division
- New York Yankees +175 (bet $100 to win $175)
- Baltimore Orioles +200 (bet $100 to win $200)
- Toronto Blue Jays +475 (bet $100 to win $475)
- Tampa Bay Rays +700 (bet $100 to win $700)
- Boston Red Sox +1300 (bet $100 to win $1,300)
Figure on the potential for the Rays to be more included in a 2- or 3-way race that what shows on these prices. And that makes for leverage with a TAMPA BAY (+700) play.
To win American League
Odds: +1500 (bet $100 to win $1,500)
If you’re sprinkling undervalued teams all the way across. finish the job with this one. As with the Series bet, there is just enough return value here. BACK THE RAYS (+1500).
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