Emotions will be running high on Thursday afternoon when David Price takes the mound for the first time at Tropicana Field in the bottom of an inning. He will be pitching for the Tigers against his former team, the Rays, for the first time. Tampa Bay drafted and developed the lefty and traded him to Detroit prior to the deadline this year. He will look to secure the three-game sweep for Detroit as they try to keep pace in the AL Central with the red-hot Royals. We like the Tigers in this contest.
Price will pitch against his former club for the first time on Thursday and of course it will happen at his former home, Tropicana Field. He burst onto the scene as a reliever in the 2008 season, helping Tampa Bay to the World Series after an epic ALCS against Boston. He won the AL Cy Young in 2012 and posted a record of 82-47 with an ERA of 3.18 in 175 appearances for the Rays during his career. The Rays honored him earlier in this series with a video presentation.
Tampa Bay would love for nothing more than to secure a win against their former ace on Thursday. It will be difficult though, as the Rays have not played well of late, losing four straight and going 4-6 in their last 10 overall. Tampa Bay is eight games out of the second AL Wild Card spot and that looks to be their only shot at a playoff appearance this year. They sit 12.5 games out of first in the AL East.
Tampa Bay and Detroit lock horns on Thursday afternoon in David Price’s return to Florida. We will place our wager at TopBet.eu, where we will lay the line of -1.5 (+140) with 10 percent of our bankroll in favor of Price and the Tigers as they sweep this series and stay with the Royals in the Central.
