James Shields is having a great year, but his numbers are not telling the full picture. He's a rare guy in the fact that he's got 8.64 K/9 and he gets a ton of ground balls 56.4% among the leagues best. He faces the Marlins, a team he has flat out dominated of late. Over his last three starts he's got 24.1 IP and 1 ER while K'ng nearly 30 batters. The Marlins continue to struggle vs. RHP and are 26th in OPS. TB is averaging over a run better vs. RHP per 9 innings and the story is even worse when we look at it from a H/A perspective and if we look at the last 10 games the Marlins are scoring just 1.45 runs per 9 and their bullpen is struggling mightily with a 8.63 ERA. On the season the Rays bullpen has been over a run better. While they post a 2.28 bullpen ERA at home this year.
The Rays will continue to stay afloat without Evan Longoria as they face Anibal Sanchez. They are 23-10 in their last 33 games vs. RH starters at home and over their last 10 games they are scoring 5.43 runs per 9 vs. RHP. Rays hitters own .826 OPS vs. Sanchez who is starting to come back to live giving up 11 ER combined over his last two starts. Marlins are 6-15 in his last 21 starts as an under dog and they are 16-40 in their last 56 as a dog +110 to +150.
