Minnesota Twins vs Tampa Bay Rays Picks and Predictions for Friday April 24 2026
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The Minnesota Twins head to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, to take on the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, April 24, 2026, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM and coverage available on MLB.TV. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. This American League matchup features two teams hovering around the .500 mark, each looking to gain an early-season edge, and readers should be sure to check out free MLB picks for more daily baseball insights.
Starting Pitchers Set the Stage in Tampa Bay
Minnesota is expected to start Taj Bradley, who enters the game with a perfect 3-0 record, a 1.63 ERA, and a 1.23 WHIP over 27.2 innings. He has allowed 24 hits while striking out 34 batters and issuing 10 walks, without allowing a home run so far. Tampa Bay will counter with Drew Rasmussen, who comes in at 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA and an impressive 0.66 WHIP across 19.2 innings. Rasmussen has allowed just 10 hits, struck out 20, walked 3, and given up four home runs.
Minnesota Trying to Find Rhythm Away From Home
The Twins enter this contest with a 12-12 overall record and a 5-6 mark on the road. Over their last five games, Minnesota has recently lost to New York twice and also recently lost to Cincinnati twice, while picking up a win over New York in that stretch. This run highlights a team that has struggled to string together consistent performances.
Minnesota is hitting .227 as a team with 119 runs scored on 179 hits, including 28 home runs. They have posted a .326 on-base percentage and a .377 slugging percentage. On the pitching side, the Twins have recorded a 3.99 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP, allowing opponents to hit .249 while striking out 199 batters and issuing 86 walks.
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A key strength for Minnesota is its power production, as evidenced by the 28 home runs. Despite a lower team batting average, the ability to generate runs through extra-base hits has kept the Twins competitive in many of their games.
Tampa Bay Aiming to Hold Serve at Home
The Rays come into this matchup with a 13-11 overall record and a 5-4 record at home. In their last five games, Tampa Bay has recently won over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, while also recently losing to Cincinnati twice and Pittsburgh once. This stretch reflects a team that has shown flashes of strong play but has not fully settled into a consistent rhythm.
Tampa Bay is hitting .257 as a team with 116 runs scored on 214 hits, along with 20 home runs. They carry a .333 on-base percentage and a .378 slugging percentage. On the mound, the Rays have a 4.70 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP, allowing opponents to hit .229 while striking out 194 batters and issuing 90 walks.
One notable weakness for Tampa Bay is the elevated team ERA of 4.70, which suggests challenges in limiting runs despite a solid opponent batting average. This inconsistency in run prevention has made it difficult for them to fully capitalize on their offensive production.
Minnesota Twins vs Tampa Bay Rays Picks and Prediction
Minnesota Twins vs Tampa Bay Rays Pick
Pick: Minnesota Twins Moneyline
Minnesota presents value in this matchup based on the starting pitching and power numbers. Bradley enters with a significantly lower ERA and has not allowed a home run, which indicates strong control and effectiveness. While Tampa Bay has been productive offensively, the Twins’ ability to generate runs through home runs combined with the stronger starting pitching performance gives them the edge in this game.
Minnesota Twins vs Tampa Bay Rays Total Pick
Pick: Over 8
I would lean toward the over in this matchup because both teams have shown the ability to produce runs, with Minnesota scoring 119 and Tampa Bay 116 so far. While Minnesota’s pitching has been solid, Tampa Bay’s higher team ERA of 4.70 suggests there will be opportunities for scoring. With both offenses capable of generating production, this game has the potential to push past a typical total.
Final Score Prediction: Minnesota Twins 6 – Tampa Bay Rays 4
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