PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 03: J.T. Realmuto #10 and Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies walk from the bullpen before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park on May 03, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Phillies will kick off their road trip with a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Phillies have won three consecutive series, including notable wins over the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago Cubs. The Rays recovered from a recent losing skid to steal two consecutive games from the New York Yankees, reestablishing themselves in the win column.
Attempting to extend Philadelphia's win streak is starting pitcher Zack Wheeler. After a rough start to the season, Wheeler recovered nicely, earning three consecutive solid starts against solid offensive competition. Next up is a Tampa Bay lineup that is stuck in the middle of the MLB pack in most offensive metrics.
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen did not have the same expectations of him as Wheeler did prior to the season, making his fantastic start even more impressive. Rasmussen owns a 2.64 ERA and a .98 WHIP, two of the most impressive statistics in the league. These numbers do not tell the whole story, however, as his last two trips to the mound have been plagued with inefficiency, as he gave up four runs to the Diamondbacks in five innings and three runs over five frames to the Kansas City Royals. A dangerous Philadelphia lineup will not provide any respite to Rasmussen's cold streak.
Spread
- Phillies -1.5 (+145)
- Rays +1.5 (-165)
Moneyline
- Phillies -115
- Rays +110
Totals
- OVER 8 (-102)
- UNDER 8 (-111)
*The above data was collected on May 6, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Phillies vs Rays Betting Trends
- The Phillies are 7-8 ATS when playing on the road.
- The Phillies are 12-14 ATS as favorites.
- The OVER is 18-16 in Philadelphia's games.
- The Rays are 10-5 ATS when playing National League opponents.
- The Rays are 8-14 ATS when playing at home.
- The UNDER is 9-5-1 when the Rays play a National League opponent.
Phillies vs Rays Injury Reports
Philadelphia Phillies
- No injuries of note.
Tampa Bay Rays
- Ha-Seong Kim, SS - Out.
- Jonny DeLuca, CF - Out.
- Josh Lowe, RF - Out.
- Jake Mangum, OF - Out.
- Richie Palacios, OF - Out.
- Kevin Kelly, RP - Out.
Phillies vs Rays Predictions and Picks
Jake Faigus of ClutchPoints backs the Phillies here, writing, "This should be a pitching duel between Wheeler and Rasmussen. I like the Phillies to eek out a win because they have more balance and depth on offense. Thanks to Rasmussen, the Rays cover and keep it close."
The Phillies should win this game, but they are far from a lock. Rasmussen will pitch well enough to keep things close, and the Rays are playing at home. Instead of either side of the moneyline, the under is worth taking a look at.
Both Wheeler and Rasmussen have been fantastic throughout the season, and it helps that the Rays have scored more than four runs only once in their last eight contests. The Phillies are also a significantly worse offensive team when they play away from Citizens Bank Park, earning worse offensive metrics across the board. Count on the pitching to keep things in check en route to a low-scoring ball game.
