Seattle at Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Rays have to be feeling good right now. They dropped the first two vs. the Yankees and then came back to salvage a 2-2 split in the series. They head down the last 10 games facing all losing teams, while the Yanks battle Boston and the Jays in two highly-emotional series. The Rays, even in the loss column, certainly are in good shape with a much more favorable schedule than the Yanks. It starts at home tonight vs. hapless Seattle, winners of just 23 of 75 games on the road this season. The bats have been missing the entire season, and last night they got a two-hit gem by Felix Hernandez, and still lose to the Jays. The Mariners are not much of a threat on the road as a +151 to +200 dog, as they are 11-42 in their last 53, including 0-5 behind Vargas. The Rays are 69-27 as a favorite to the same numbers, and are now 10-1 behind Niemann when he is on full four days of rest. I like Tampa Bay in this one.