- The MLB postseason includes four rounds, beginning with the Wild Card Series.
- The Cleveland Guardians will host the Tampa Bay Rays for a three-game series.
- The Wild Card Series is Oct. 7-9, 2022.
- The winner of this series will advance to the ALDS to face the New York Yankees.
The MLB regular season officially wrapped up on Wednesday, and the first round of the playoffs, the Wild Card Series, begins on Friday, Oct. 7. Under the new postseason format, 12 teams advance to the playoffs — three division winners and three Wild Card teams from each league — with the top two division winners from each league receiving a bye in the first round.
In the AL, the Rays will take on the Guardians for a three-game Wild Card Series at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The winner of this matchup will advance to the AL Division Series to face the New York Yankees.
Rays vs. Guardians Series Schedule
| GAME | DATE | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Friday, Oct. 7 | 12:07 p.m. ET |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Oct. 8 | 12:07 p.m. ET |
| Game 3 | Sunday, Oct. 9 | 4:07 p.m. ET |
AMED ROSARIO WALKS US OFF!#ForTheLand | #GuardiWins pic.twitter.com/bqx0obA1Lm
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 29, 2022
Odds to Win AL Wild Card Series (as of Oct. 6):
- Guardians -120 to win
- Rays +100 to win
Total Series Games Over/Under (as of Oct. 6):
- Over 2.5 (-115)
- Under 2.5 (-105)
Rays vs. Guardians Series Prediction
I predict the Tampa Bay Rays will win the Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Guardians in two games.
The Guardians are advancing to the playoffs as the winner of the AL Central, but don’t let that fool you into thinking they had a stellar season — the division was truly a race to the bottom for the large majority of the year.
Finishing the regular season with a record of 92-70, the Guardians’ spent most of the season well out of contention for a Wild Card and needing to win the AL Central to advance to the postseason. The team’s late winning streak was able to not only break them away from their underperforming division rivals (the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins), but also put them in a competitive position in the playoffs.
On the other side of the field, the Rays had a very solid season in a very tough division. The AL East also has the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox, so managing to finish third with a record of 86-76 proves the Rays had a good year.
HERE'S HAROLD pic.twitter.com/djoARRE07H
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 28, 2022
Throughout the season, the Guardians and Rays met six times and the Guardians won four games. The Rays only managed one win at Progressive Field, so the Guardians’ home-field advantage for the upcoming series may be a real factor.
Guardians Against the Spread (ATS) Record — Regular Season
Against the spread this MLB season, the Guardians have gone 85-76 against the Run Line (+6.7 Units / 3.35% ROI).
- 91-70 when betting on the Moneyline for +18.8 Units / 9.2% ROI
- 74-78 when betting on the total runs Over for -11.6 Units / -6.55% ROI
- 78-74 when betting on the total runs Under for -3.55 Units / -2% ROI
Guardians Over/Under Record
In the 2022 regular season, the Guardians hit the over 76 times, the under 78 times, and pushed 8.
Rays Against the Spread (ATS) Record — Regular Season
Against the spread this MLB season, the Rays have gone 79-82 against the Run Line (-4.05 Units / -2.02% ROI).
- 86-75 when betting on the Moneyline for -7.6 Units / -3.38% ROI
- 70-81 when betting on the total runs Over for -16.7 Units / -9.59% ROI
- 81-70 when betting on the total runs Under for +2.65 Units / 1.46% ROI
Rays Over/Under Record
In the 2022 regular season, the Rays hit the over 71 times, the under 79 times, and pushed 12.
MLB Odds at BetMGM
The best MLB betting experience is at the BetMGM sportsbook. Whether you’re a first-time bettor browsing moneylines, a casual fan building a parlay with run lines, or a diehard betting on player props, there’s something for everyone at the online sportsbook.
