Tampa Bay Rays vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction – 7/25/2025
The Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds will square off on Friday night in an interleague matchup. Both squads sit at 53‑50 entering this series opener at Great American Ball Park. But their records will not be identical any longer after this game plays out. To find out who I think will come out on top, continue reading to get my Rays vs Reds prediction.
Our Rays vs Reds Pick
- Pick: Cincinnati Reds moneyline
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Tampa Bay Rays vs Cincinnati Reds
- Date & Time: Friday, July 25, 2025, 7:10 PM ET
- Starting Pitchers:
- Rays RHP Zack Littell (8–7, 3.53 ERA)
- Reds RHP Nick Martinez (8–9, 4.73 ERA)
- Stadium: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
- Broadcast: FDSOH and FDSSUN
Key Storylines
The Rays arrive after dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox. They have endured a 3–7 stretch over their last 10 games. Zack Littell offers stability on the mound for Tampa. He has a tidy 3.53 ERA and his last outing featured 6 scoreless innings with no walks.
The Reds enter riding a 6–4 stretch over their last 10 games. But they too lost their last series by dropping two of three against the Washington Nationals. Reds starter Nick Martinez has rebounded from an early-season disaster and has delivered two strong outings recently. His WHIP at home sits just over 1.00 and he’s showing more command of late.
Bullpen Usage
These are both middle-of-the-pack bullpens in MLB this season. Both of these teams have bullpen ERAs sitting between 3.50 and 4.00. The key to this game will be the bullpen execution on both sides in what should be an evenly matched affair in most facets of the game.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type |
|---|---|
| Junior Caminero | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
| Yandy Diaz | Over 1.5 Hits |
| TJ Friedl | Over 0.5 Hits |
| Spencer Steer | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
Betting Trends & H2H
- This is the first meeting between the Rays and the Reds so far this season.
- Tampa is 22-22 on the road this year. Cincinnati is 28-22 at home.
- Both teams have gone under the total in at least 57% of their games this season.
Rays vs Reds Model Projection
Score Projection: Reds 5 – Rays 4
Win Probability: Rays 51 %, Reds 49 %
Final Thoughts
I don’t expect there to be a big margin between these teams on Friday night in Cincinnati. All signs point to a close game that could go in either direction. The big differentiating factor for me going into this series is that the Reds have been solid at home throughout the year. That is enough to get me to back them in this game even if both teams are very evenly matched on paper.
