Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Odds, Prediction
It’s a battle between AL East division rivals to start the week. Toronto needs some wins after getting swept at home over the weekend. The Rays are currently -113 on the American League odds.
Betting Analysis
This is the last series between the teams until late September when both surely will be in playoff contention. When the Rays visited Toronto on April 14, they had tied the MLB record with a 13-0 start to the season but lost Game 1 and two of three in the series.
Bo Bichette hit .538 in that series with two doubles and two RBIs, and Whit Merrifield .375 with two doubles. George Springer had Toronto’s only homer. Josh Lowe was 4-for-10 with a homer, double and four RBIs to lead Tampa Bay. Christian Bethancourt had two homers.
While the Rays are still an excellent team and capable of winning their first World Series, they have taken a big hit in recent weeks in their rotation with long-term injuries to Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs. Losing two pitchers of their calibre would cripple many franchises, but the Rays churn out good pitching like no other.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays were swept at home over the weekend by Baltimore and have dropped four straight overall. High-leverage reliever Yimi Garcia surely won’t be available Monday after taking the loss both Saturday and Sunday vs. the Orioles. Matt Chapman hit his first homer since April 18 in Sunday’s loss. George Springer had two hits and finished the homestand 13-for-41 (.317).
It’s right-hander Chris Bassitt (5-2, 3.05 ERA) on the mound Monday, and he has become the unlikely ace. On April 30, Bassitt allowed a first-inning grand slam vs. Seattle but hasn’t given up a run over 27 innings since – four in that game and three straight starts of at least seven innings each. That’s the second-longest single-season scoreless innings streak in franchise history behind 33 by Roger Clemens in 1998. The overall team record is 34 by Dave Steib, which happened at the end of the 1988 season and start of 1989. Bassitt has a 2.30 ERA in 15.2 career innings vs. the Rays. The Jays are 1-9 in their past 10 vs. the AL East.
Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay lost 6-4 on Sunday at home with a chance to complete a home sweep of Milwaukee. The Rays are now 21-4 at Tropicana Field, the second-best 25-game home record since 1901 behind the 1978 Boston Red Sox at 22-3. Yandy Diaz has a career-best 14-game hitting streak with four doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs in that stretch.
It’s lefty Josh Fleming (0-0, 3.68 ERA) scheduled as the primary on the mound. Fleming will follow Trevor Kelley (0-1, 7.50), who likely only pitches an inning and certainly not more than two. Fleming went five shutout innings last time out against the Mets and allowed two runs over 3.1 innings in Toronto on April 15. Fleming is 2-1 with a 3.97 ERA in 22.2 career innings vs. the Jays. Bo Bichette is 2-for-8 career off him with a double. No Blue Jays hitter has homered off Fleming. The Rays are 23-8 in their past 31 series openers.
TOR
TB