Rays vs. Diamondbacks Prediction, Odds, Probable Pitchers, Prop Bets for Thursday, April 24

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Tampa Bay Rays-Arizona Diamondbacks matchup on April 24.

The Rays are underdogs on Thursday night. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks play the rubber match of their three-game series on Thursday night, and two stud pitchers are on the bump.

Arizona’s Corbin Burnes has been surging as of late, allowing just five runs over his last two starts, pushing his ERA closer to 4.00 on the season. 

On the Tampa side, Drew Rasmussen has been lights out, posting a 0.87 ERA. After the Rays picked up a win in 11 innings on Wednesday night, how should we bet on Thursday’s series finale?

Here’s a look at the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for this matchup.  

Rays vs. Diamondbacks Odds, Run Line and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Run Line

• Rays +1.5 (-185)
• Diamondbacks -1.5 (+154)

Moneyline

• Rays: +114
• Diamondbacks: -135

Total

• 8 (Over -102/Under -118)

Rays vs. Diamondbacks Probable Pitchers

• Tampa Bay: Drew Rasmussen (1-1. 0.87 ERA)
• Arizona: Corbin Burnes (0-1, 4.64 ERA)

Rays vs. Diamondbacks How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, April 24
• Time: 9:40 p.m. EST
• Venue: Chase Field
• How to Watch (TV): ARID, FDSSUN
• Rays record: 10-14
• Diamondbacks record: 14-10

Rays vs. Diamondbacks Best MLB Prop Bets

Diamondbacks Best MLB Prop Bet

• Corbin Burnes UNDER 5.5 Strikeouts (-140)

Earlier today, I shared in SI Betting’s best MLB props column why Corbin Burnes is a fade candidate on Thursday: 

This season, Burnes is off to a bit of a slow start, posting a 4.64 ERA in four starts, but he has looked better as of late, lowering his ERA more than a run over his last two starts.

Despite that, I’m fading Burnes in his strikeout prop on Thursday, as he’s failed to punch out more than three batters in each of his last three outings. 

This season follows a troubling trend, as Burnes’ strikeouts per nine innings has dropped in every season since he won the Cy Young in the 2021 season. In fact, Burnes averaged just 8.4 K’s per nine innings last season.

Against a Tampa Bay team that is 10th in MLB in K’s per game this season, Burnes is an easy fade with this line set at 5.5.

Rays vs. Diamondbacks Prediction and Pick

Could we see a pitcher’s duel on Thursday? Burnes and Rasmussen both have solid resumes, and I broke down in today’s MLB Best Bets column – Walk-Off Wagers – why the UNDER in this game is one of my favorite bets of the day:

Another matchup with great starting pitching? Sign me up.

Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen has a 0.87 ERA in four starts this season, allowing just two earned runs across 20.2 innings heading into a duel with Corbin Burnes on Thursday night.

Burnes is off to a bit of a slow start, posting a 4.64 ERA this season, but he’s allowed just five runs and 10 hits over his last 12 innings of work (two starts).

Three of the four times Rasmussen has taken the mound this season, the Rays have scored seven or fewer runs, and I expect that trend to continue against Arizona – even though the D-Backs are No. 3 in MLB in OPS this season.

As long as Burnes continues his upward trajectory – he’s lowered his ERA by over a run in his last two starts – this should be a pitcher’s duel on Thursday night. 

Pick: UNDER 8 (-118 at DraftKings)

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