Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays Free Preview

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The Tampa Bay Rays will take the field against their divisional rival Toronto Blue Jays in a Sunday matinee. The opening pitch is scheduled for 3:07 p.m. ET and RSN Sports will be televising the matchup.

Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays Odds

The Rays have gone 96-65 SU this year and are 82-78 against the spread (ATS). The team hasn’t moved the needle much this year, gaining 3.6 units for bettors taking the moneyline, despite having lost 6.0 units ATS. The Blue Jays, on the other hand, are 66-95 SU and 78-82 ATS. They’ve lost 15.8 units for moneyline bettors and 9.3 units ATS.

Toronto games have an over/under record of 74-77-9 in 2019. The Rays have an over/under record of 78-74-8.

Blake Snell will get the start for Tampa Bay. The southpaw Snell is 6-7 with a 4.21 ERA and 143 strikeouts. He’s 0-0 with 14 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA against Toronto this year (two starts).

The Blue Jays will turn to righty Clay Buchholz (1-5, 7.00 ERA), who has 33 strikeouts and 15 walks, along with a WHIP of 1.54. Buchholz is 0-1 with five strikeouts and a 3.00 ERA over two starts against Tampa Bay this year.

As a unit, Toronto’s pitchers have allowed 5.1 runs per game overall in 2019. The club’s starters have an ERA of 5.28, a WHIP of 1.49 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 7.5. The bullpen has a 4.34 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 9.1 K/9. In 75 divisional games, Blue Jays starters have an ERA of 5.55 and the bullpen’s ERA is 4.59.

The Toronto offense is putting up 4.5 runs per outing, including 4.9 per game against divisional foes and 4.8 per game over its last five. The team has hit .208/.312/.445 over its last five contests and is 3-2 SU during that stretch.

Right fielder Randal Grichuk and third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have led the Blue Jays’ offense this year. Grichuk is slashing .233/.282/.460 with 31 home runs, 80 RBIs and 75 runs scored, while Guerrero Jr.’s line is .272/.339/.433 with 15 homers, 69 RBIs and 52 runs.

In the other dugout, Tampa Bay’s pitchers have allowed 4.0 runs per game and its starters own a 3.63 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 10.18 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.66, along with a WHIP of 1.13 and a K-per-9 of 9.63.

Rays hitters have slashed .254/.327/.431 on their way to 4.8 runs scored per game this year, including 4.7 runs per game against divisional foes and 4.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (4-1 SU).

Tampa Bay’s offensive production has been sparked by Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham, who collectively have blasted 54 home runs. Meadows is slashing .291/.364/.558 with 33 home runs, 89 RBIs and 83 runs scored, while Pham (.274/.369/.449) is up to 21 homers, 68 RBIs, 76 runs and 24 steals.

Rays vs. Blue Jays Free Prediction

Predictions: SU Winner – Blue Jays, ATS Winner – Rays, O/U – UNDER

Betting Notes

  • Tampa Bay has tallied 16 extra-base hits over its last five games. Toronto has 18 XBH over its last five.
  • The Rays have a team OPS of .759 this season and an OPS of .762 when facing right-handed pitchers. The Blue Jays’ OPS sits at .733 overall and .727 against righties.
  • Toronto has posted 21.8 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 19.2 over its last five.
  • The Rays have hit 17 home runs in their last 10 games, including 10 over their last five.