ASA TOP PLAY 10* ON Tampa Bay Rays Money Line (-) vs Houston Astros, Tuesday at 8:40 PM ET

As we have mentioned in the write-up for each of our first two MLB plays in the ALCS (both winners on Tampa Bay): the Rays were the better road team in the regular season and these games are being played at a neutral location and that certainly favors Tampa Bay. In the regular season, the Rays went 20-11 away from Tampa Bay. As for the Astros, they went 9-23 away from Minute Maid Park. The Yankees were the only other team still in the post-season last round that had a losing road record in the regular season and Tampa Bay dispatched them in 5 games. We like the Rays to now exact some revenge against the Astros team that eliminated them from the playoffs in last year's post-season. Houston continues to waste scoring chances as they have been devoid of clutch hitting so far in this series. Those struggles are likely to continue today against a solid Rays starting pitcher who is also backed by a quality bullpen. Tampa Bay is expected to start Ryan Yarbrough in this one. The Rays southpaw held Houston to 0 earned runs in 3 innings of post-season work last year. In regular season action in 2018 and 2019 Yarbrough has held the Astros to just 4 earned runs on only 11 hits in 12 and 1 / 3 innings. Houston hasn't faced him and yet in 2020 and the Astros certainly appear to be at a disadvantage on the mound for this one. Houston starts Jose Urquidy in this game and he has struggled badly as he allowed 4 homers in just 4 and 1 / 3 innings versus the A's in ALDS action. In terms of the Rays solid pitching overall (including superb bullpen) they have allowed an average of only 2.3 runs per game in their 7 post-season victories. They have the bullpen edge in this match-up and our computer math model predicts another solid win for them in this one. Bet the Tampa Bay Rays on the money line in evening action Tuesday.