Braves vs. Rays Friday MLB odds, props: Tampa Bay over Atlanta is favored 2023 World Series exacta result; Matt Olson +265 to hit team-record 30th homer before break

The favored 2023 World Series exacta at Caesars Sportsbook among listed matchups is the Tampa Bay Rays beating the Atlanta Braves at +1400, followed by Braves over Rays at +1600. The teams with the two best records in MLB meet Friday night at Tropicana Field, with Atlanta on a historic home-run streak but a short underdog (for now -- the money line is moving) with starting former Rays right-hander Charlie Morton on the mound.

Atlanta has overtaken Tampa Bay for the best record in the majors, and the Braves are the +350 favorites to win the World Series for the second time in three seasons. The Rays are +500 to win their first-ever title, yet are still favored on the exacta prop. "Any other combination" holds the shortest World Series exacta odds at +800, but Braves-Rays has the shortest odds among listed matchups.

Tampa Bay started the year 51-22 but is just 6-11 in its past 17 games. A season-high five-game skid has helped cede the best record to Atlanta, but every team goes through peaks and valleys in a given season. It could be that some rotation injuries are really catching up to the Rays right now.

Then again, the Braves have been without two of their top starting pitchers in Max Fried and Kyle Wright for several weeks, and they have won 18 of 20, tying the best 20-game run in team history. The previous three times since 1901 that the Braves won 18 of 20, they failed to even reach the World Series.

Atlanta easily leads the majors in homers with 166 and is on pace for 313, which would break the MLB record of 307 set by the 2019 Minnesota Twins. The Braves have homered in 23 straight games, breaking a tie with the Rays for the longest such streak this year and are tied for the second longest in franchise history behind (25, set in 1998). The Braves' 57 homers in their past 20 games are the most by any team in a 20-game span in history.

Matt Olson leads the National League with 29 homers, the most-ever by an Atlanta player before the All-Star break. He is +265 to go yard Friday. The last Atlanta hitter to lead the majors in homers was Andruw Jones with 51 in 2005. Olson also leads the NL with 70 RBI, one behind Texas' Adolis Garcia for the MLB lead. Olson will not be winning the NL Triple Crown, though, as he's batting .254.

Olson is 0-for-4 against Friday's Rays starter Tyler Glasnow (2-2, 4.50 ERA). Glasnow has surrendered six home runs in his seven starts. The right-hander has a 5.03 home ERA compared to a 3.86 mark on the road.

Atlanta's Morton (8-6, 3.57 ERA) spent the 2019-20 seasons with Tampa Bay. Morton shut out the Marlins over 5.2 innings last time out. He has been better on the road (3.06 ERA) than at home (4.12). Morton is 2-3 with a 3.44 ERA in six career starts vs. the Rays and last beat them in 2018 while with Houston. 

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