Rays vs. Rangers prediction and odds for Tuesday, July 18 (Eye total between AL heavyweights)

The Rays were running laps around baseball for the first two months or so of the season, but are now in a heated division race as the team continues its series against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

After starting at a torrid pace, Tampa Bay has slumped at the plate while Texas has emerged as the best lineup in the American League. The Rangers will start its ace Nathan Eovaldi on Tuesday in hopes of handing Tampa Bay another deflating loss.

Tampa Bay will count on rookie Taj Bradley to grow into a potential playoff rotation spot on Tuesday with another difficult matchup.

Here are the odds and our best bet for this high powered American League matchup:

Rays vs. Rangers odds, run line and total

Rays vs. Rangers prediction and pick

Bradley's numbers look poor on the surface, he has a 5.43 ERA in his rookie season, but he is far better than that, posting devastating strikeout marks (11.7 K's per nine innings) and an xERA of 4.03.

He has faced difficult competition all season, and faces another tough foe in the Rangers on Tuesday, who are third in big league batting average over the last 30 days, per MLB.com. However, with Bradley's ability to generate swing and misses, I'm going to give him the edge on Tuesday.

On the other side, the Rays offense has come crashing down to Earth after a scorching start. Over the last 30 days, Tampa Bay is 21st in batting average. Eovaldi has posted a 2.83 ERA this season with decent marks around him, including a 3.41 xERA.

While both teams have high billing at the plate, I'm eyeing both pitchers on the mound and taking the under between two of the top teams in baseball.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.