Published Mar 27, 5:52pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 27, 5:52pm ET
Shutterstock
Updated Mar 27, 6:01pm ET
|
|
|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | -105 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | -105 |
As always, Tampa Bay is functioning under a strict budget. However, with a new ballpark apparently on the horizon and a new owner in Florida real estate developer Patrick Zalupski, that is likely to change in the reasonably near future.
The baseball ops led by team president Erik Neander and the field staff under manager Kevin Cash remain intact.
Starter Joe Boyle was up and down for the Rays in 2025, posting a -0.2 bWAR and a 4.67 ERA in 13 appearances, including 9 starts. He allowed 43 hits in 52 innings, but walked a worrisome 28. He K'd 58.
The key for Boyle is, obviously, throwing strikes.
No Rays batter has ever faced St. Louis' starter, Michael McGreevy.
In the opening game loss, Junior Caminero drew 4 walks. Jonathan Aranda homered. Ben Williamson went 3 for 4. Jonny DeLuca went 2 for 4. Yandy Diaz was 3 for 5 with a walk.
The Cardinals are retooling under head of baseball ops Chaim Bloom. For the first time in years, they are not putting up any pretense of contention in 2026.
Still, this is an important time for them as they are deciding which young players will be keepers or not. McGreevy was the Cards' 18th overall pick in the 2021 draft. He had an 8-4 record in 2025 with a 4.42 ERA. He is a contact pitcher, striking out 58 in 95.2 innings.
For the Cardinals against Boyle, Alec Burleson is 2 for 3 with 2 RBI. On Opening Day, he went 3 for 4 with a walk and a home run.
Nolan Gorman is 2 for 3 with a 1.667 OPS.
In the opener, Nathan Church was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI. Victor Scott II went 3 for 4.
Boyle is a talented righty starter and he's big enough to be intimidating, but he has trouble throwing strikes. That trend continued in spring training when he walked 8 in 9.2 innings while striking out 16.
Under Bloom, the Cardinals will be selective at the plate. That adds up to many baserunners for St. Louis against Boyle.
McGreevy has a chance to be a very solid starter. The Rays are completely unfamiliar with him, having never faced him in the regular season.
St. Louis should come out on top and win its 2nd straight game to begin the season at 2-0.
|
Pick
St. Louis Cardinals -105
|
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
|
