Rays vs. Orioles Friday MLB probable pitchers, odds: Tampa Bay on franchise-record 15-game winning streak against Baltimore

The longest active winning streak by one MLB team over another doesn't belong to the big-money, star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees but instead to the small-market, small-payroll, largely anonymous Tampa Bay Rays. They put a 15-game streak on the line against the Orioles on Friday in a series opener in Baltimore and the Rays are -140 favorites at Caesars Sportsbook. (See tickets at StubHub)

It's the second series of the season between the AL East "rivals." They opened the year in St. Petersburg and the Rays swept three by a combined score of 15-4. Tampa Bay batters hit a combined .297 while Baltimore's just managed just a .212 mark. That's a pattern in this matchup.

The 15-game winning streak is the longest in Rays history against any opponent and tied for the fifth-longest ever against the Orioles franchise. The Yankees hold the record with 21 straight over the St. Louis Browns from May 10–Sept. 10, 1927. Since the start of last season, the Rays are 21-1 against the Orioles and have outscored them 165-75, including 62-17 in the seventh inning or later.

Baltimore does enter with a bit of momentum after ending a six-game losing streak Thursday with a 9-6 home win as a +170 underdog against the Yankees despite closer Jorge Lopez blowing the save in the top of the ninth (his second game in a row pitched, which likely hinders his availability here). Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth off of Lucas Luetge. New York had been 18-0 this season when scoring five runs or more.

One of the Orioles' better players, outfielder Cedric Mullins, didn't start Thursday, simply for rest, but pinch-hit in the sixth and had a sacrifice fly. He'll be in the starting lineup Friday. Tyler Wells (1-3, 4.18 ERA) will be on the mound. He allowed four runs over just 1.2 innings on April 10 in a loss at Tampa Bay but hasn't allowed more than three earned in an outing since. Wells has an ERA of 7.04 in 7.2 career innings vs. the Rays.

Tampa Bay, off Thursday, starts an opener more often than perhaps any team and will do so Friday with lefty Jalen Beeks (1-0, 1.72 ERA), who should be limited to two innings. He pitched 1.2 scoreless innings vs. the Orioles on April 10. The "bulk" pitcher behind Beeks will be lefty Ryan Yarbrough (0-0, 4.91 ERA).

The Rays are 6-14 this season when scoring three runs or fewer and 17-1 when scoring at least four. With the Yanks' loss Thursday in Baltimore, only Tampa Bay (15-0) and Minnesota (13-0) are unbeaten this year when scoring at least five.

Who wins the Preakness Stakes? And which underdog is a must-back? Join SportsLine now to see Jody Demling's picks for the Preakness Stakes, all from the expert who nailed 10 Derby-Oaks doubles and 9 of the last 17 Preakness winners, and find out.