Apple TV+ will host Friday’s matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays (91-57) and the Baltimore Orioles (91-55), with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. ET at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Zach Eflin (14-8, 3.53 ERA) takes the mound for the Rays against O’s righty Jack Flaherty (8-8, 4.98).
Tampa Bay weathered injuries to seemingly every notable starter and is without Wander Franco after disturbing off-field allegations landed him on the restricted list. Through all of that, though, the Rays stayed the course, staying on Baltimore’s heels and striking first in a 4-3 win in the series opener last night — their eighth win in their last 10 games. Tampa’s bullpen has been lights out over the past month (their 1.13 ERA in September is the best in baseball by a large margin), which has helped bolster a beleaguered rotation, and the offense has done just enough in late-game scenarios to pull out several close wins of late.
After last night’s loss, Baltimore has dropped four of its last five ballgames and has seen its cushion atop the AL East all but evaporate. The team’s offense had been on a heater to start September, but they’ve gone cold of late — in addition to just three runs scored in Thursday’s loss, the O’s lineup scored just two combined runs over two losses against St. Louis earlier this week. With a three-game swing in Houston against the Astros on tap next, Baltimore can’t afford to continue scuffling at the plate.
Baltimore enters this game as a -142 moneyline favorite over at DraftKings Sportsbook, making Tampa Bay a +120 underdog. The run total is set at 8.5.
Rays vs. Orioles
Pitchers: Zach Eflin vs. Jack Flaherty
First pitch: 7:05 p.m. ET
Rays local broadcast: N/A
Orioles local broadcast: N/A
Live stream: Apple TV+ website, Apple TV+ app
Moneyline odds: Orioles -142, Rays +120
To watch Friday’s Rays-Orioles matchup, you’ll need a subscription to Apple TV+, available for $4.99 per month. Occasionally, Apple will offer a free trial, so be sure to check out their website for available deals. Once you have a valid subscription, you can live stream the game on the Apple TV+ website or using the Apple TV+ app.
