The Blue Jays continue a nine-game road trip Friday – which hasn’t gone well so far — by opening a three-game series at defending AL East champion Tampa Bay. The Jays are short favourites to win on the MLB odds for Friday’s game with a small total of 6.5 runs.

Betting Analysis

Friday is the Jays’ first meeting of the season with Tampa Bay, and of course Toronto’s spring training home of Dunedin is just up the road from St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field in Dunedin. The Jays won’t go back to St. Pete until the second half of the season.

Last season, the Rays won 11 of 19 meetings and five of nine at home. Teoscar Hernandez hit .328 in the series with three homers and nine RBIs for Toronto. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was at .292 with three homers and six runs knocked in, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had six home runs and 11 RBIs. Bo Bichette only hit .187 against a good Rays pitching staff and George Springer .156. Brandon Lowe led Tampa Bay by hitting six homers with 10 RBIs in the series. Catcher Mike Zunino had four solo homers. No Rays player had an average of better than .245, however.

Toronto Blue Jays

Sometimes a bad loss can send a team into a tailspin. Will that happen with the Jays? With a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth Tuesday at the Yankees, closer Jordan Romano gave up a walk-off three-run home run to Aaron Judge and then Toronto lost its fourth in a row Wednesday, 5-3. The day off Thursday perhaps was needed.

We’d have to call Kevin Gausman the Blue Jays’ ace thus far with a 3-1 record, 2.13 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in his six starts, and he gets the call Friday. He allowed three earned in his Blue Jays debut on April 9 vs. Texas but hasn’t given up more than two earned since. He has walked a single batter, which is incredible, and that took until the 137th batter of the season he faced. Naturally, it was four straight balls to Cleveland’s Franmil Reyes last Saturday. Gausman was with the Giants last year so he didn’t face the Rays and only a few have faced him. Kevin Kiermaier has the most, going 6-for-22 with two homers. Toronto has lost four straight series openers.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays are basically the same as they have been for the past several years: A rather anonymous team with a great pitching staff but starters that rarely go more than five innings. Kevin Cash has to be considered on the short list of top managers in the game. Despite another tiny payroll, Tampa Bay is again a contender in the AL East. The Rays were no-hit Tuesday night at the Angels but bounced back with a 4-2 win Wednesday to finish a West Coast trip at 7-3. Outfielder and leading hitter Manuel Margot (.337) hasn’t played since Monday with a hamstring injury but is expected in Friday’s lineup.

Converted reliever Drew Rasmussen (3-1, 2.89) is scheduled to start Game 1, and he’s a full-time starter now. Rasmussen has allowed more than two earned just once in his six outings but also gone longer than five innings once. He was 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 12.0 innings last year vs. the Jays, who hit .171 off him. Gurriel Jr. is 2-for-5 with a homer vs. Rasmussen. Bichette 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. The Rays are 14-5 in their past 19 Friday games.

MLB Prediction: Who Will Win Blue Jays vs. Rays?

• Regular Season

Blue Jays Team Leaders

TOR

HR	George Springer 7
BA	Danny Jansen 0.43
SB	Raimel Tapia 3

TB

HR	Brandon Lowe 5
BA	Manuel Margot 0.35
SB	Randy Arozarena 6

• Regular Season

Rays Team Leaders

TOR

HR	George Springer 7
BA	Danny Jansen 0.43
SB	Raimel Tapia 3

TB

HR	Brandon Lowe 5
BA	Manuel Margot 0.35
SB	Randy Arozarena 6

Injuries

Toronto

Tim Mayza (RP)

Out indefinitely Forearm - 16 / 05 / 22

Jordan Romano (RP)

Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 16 / 05 / 22

George Springer (CF)

Prob Sun Ankle - 13 / 05 / 22

George Springer (CF)

Ques Thurs Rest - 05 / 05 / 22

Cavan Biggio (2B)

Late May Illness - 04 / 05 / 22

Tayler Saucedo (RP)

Out indefinitely Hip - 29 / 04 / 22

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B)

Prob Fri Foot - 28 / 04 / 22

Ryan Borucki (RP)

Ques Sat Finger - 27 / 04 / 22

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (LF)

Prob Wed Hamstring - 26 / 04 / 22

Cavan Biggio (2B)

Out indefinitely Illness - 25 / 04 / 22

Tampa Bay

Brandon Lowe (2B)

Out indefinitely Back - 16 / 05 / 22

Kevin Kiermaier (CF)

Prob Sun Knee - 15 / 05 / 22

Manuel Margot (CF)

Late May Hamstring - 15 / 05 / 22

Brandon Lowe (2B)

Ques Sun Undisclosed - 14 / 05 / 22

Yandy Diaz (3B)

Prob Sat Illness - 13 / 05 / 22

Wander Franco (SS)

Prob Wed Leg - 11 / 05 / 22

Brandon Lowe (2B)

Ques Wed Rest - 11 / 05 / 22

Manuel Margot (CF)

Prob Fri Hamstring - 10 / 05 / 22

Brandon Lowe (2B)

Ques Thurs Rest - 05 / 05 / 22

Phoenix Sanders (SP)

Late May Back - 03 / 05 / 22

Injuries

Toronto

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Tim Mayza (RP)	Out indefinitely	Forearm - 16 / 05 / 22	1-1	0-2	+ -
Mayza has been shuttled to the 15-day injured list due to a left forearm inflammation, and it is unclear when he will return.
Jordan Romano (RP)	Out indefinitely	Undisclosed - 16 / 05 / 22	1-1	0-2	+ -
Romano is sideline due to an undisclosed issue, and it has yet to be established when he will return.
George Springer (CF)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 13 / 05 / 22	2-3	1-3-1	+ -
Springer missed the previous game with a left ankle sprain, but it is likely that he will face the Rays on Sunday.
George Springer (CF)	Ques Thurs	Rest - 05 / 05 / 22	5-6	5-5-1	+ -
Springer is absent from the starting lineup versus the Guardians on Thursday as he will be given a day of rest.
Cavan Biggio (2B)	Late May	Illness - 04 / 05 / 22	5-7	6-5-1	+ -
Biggio has been ticketed for the COVID-19 list, and he is not expected to return to the lineup until the end of May.
Tayler Saucedo (RP)	Out indefinitely	Hip - 29 / 04 / 22	6-12	7-10-1	+ -
Saucedo has been shuttled to the 10-day injured list with right hip discomfort, and it is unknown when he will suit up.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B)	Prob Fri	Foot - 28 / 04 / 22	6-12	7-10-1	+ -
Guerrero Jr. sat out the last game with a right foot contusion, but it is likely that he will dress for Friday's clash versus the Astros.
Ryan Borucki (RP)	Ques Sat	Finger - 27 / 04 / 22	6-13	8-10-1	+ -
Borucki has been moved to the 10-day injured list due to a blister on his left middle finger, and it is unknown if he will face the Guardians on Saturday.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (LF)	Prob Wed	Hamstring - 26 / 04 / 22	7-13	9-10-1	+ -
Gurriel Jr. missed the last game with hamstring soreness, but it is likely that he will suit up Wednesday against the Red Sox.
Cavan Biggio (2B)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 25 / 04 / 22	8-13	10-10-1	+ -
Biggio has been shifted to the COVID-19 list, and it is unknown when he will be activated.

Tampa Bay

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Brandon Lowe (2B)	Out indefinitely	Back - 16 / 05 / 22	1-1	0-2	+ -
Lowe has been shuttled to the 10-day injured list due too a lower-back issue, and it is unclear how long he will be idle.
Kevin Kiermaier (CF)	Prob Sun	Knee - 15 / 05 / 22	1-2	0-3	+ -
Kiermaier is hindered by a right knee contusion, but he is expected to take on the Blue Jays on Sunday.
Manuel Margot (CF)	Late May	Hamstring - 15 / 05 / 22	1-2	0-3	+ -
Margot has been designated for the 10-day injured list with a strain in his right hamstring. Team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Brandon Lowe (2B)	Ques Sun	Undisclosed - 14 / 05 / 22	2-2	0-3-1	+ -
Lowe sat out the previous game with an unspecified injury, and it is undetermined if he will take on the Blue Jays on Sunday.
Yandy Diaz (3B)	Prob Sat	Illness - 13 / 05 / 22	3-2	0-4-1	+ -
Diaz missed the last contest due to a non-COVID illness, but it is likely that he will participate in Saturday's showdown versus the Blue Jays.
Wander Franco (SS)	Prob Wed	Leg - 11 / 05 / 22	3-4	2-4-1	+ -
Franco is managing a minor leg issue, but it is expected that he will lace up for Wednesday's battle versus the Angels.
Brandon Lowe (2B)	Ques Wed	Rest - 11 / 05 / 22	3-4	2-4-1	+ -
LOwe is absent from the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Angels as he will be given a day of rest.
Manuel Margot (CF)	Prob Fri	Hamstring - 10 / 05 / 22	4-4	2-5-1	+ -
Margot has missed the previous two games due to right hamstring discomfort, but it is projected that he will be active Friday against the Blue Jays.
Brandon Lowe (2B)	Ques Thurs	Rest - 05 / 05 / 22	7-5	4-6-2	+ -
Lowe is absent from the starting lineup for Thursday's game versus the Mariners as he will be given a day of rest.
Phoenix Sanders (SP)	Late May	Back - 03 / 05 / 22	9-6	6-6-3	+ -
Sanders has been moved to the 15-day injured list due to lower-back spasms, and he will remain out of the lineup until the end of May.

Weather

temp	72
condition	indoors