Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
Toronto is a -170 favourite on the MLB odds for the opener.
Betting Analysis
Note that Friday’s opener of a three-game set between the Rays and Blue Jays is an Apple TV+ exclusive in the United States. Toronto is a disappointing 9-9 at home thus far and has lost its past two series’ at Rogers Centre.
The Jays visited St. Petersburg, Fla., in a four-game set to open the season and split the series against the Rays – all four games were decided by at least four runs, which is pretty unusual. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit .308 in the series with a solo homer and two runs scored. Justin Turner was 4-for-14 with two doubles, a homer, four RBIs and four runs scored. George Springer had two solo homers and five runs scored. Jose Caballero batted .385 with three RBIs for Tampa Bay, while Randy Arozarena was 5-for-15 with two homers, three RBIs and four runs scored.
Tampa Bay was a very uneven team early in the season but part of that was some key guys out. The Rays are starting to get healthy and are playing closer to expectations of late. They aren’t winning the AL East but could sneak into a wild-card spot yet again.
This is the last series between the clubs in the first half of the season. Toronto was 3-3 at home vs. Tampa Bay in 2023.
Tampa Bay Rays
While the Jays were off Thursday, the Rays finished a four-game series in Boston with a 7-5 win but did use a lot of the bullpen again so that could be an issue here. In fact, Tampa Bay was forced to remove reliever Jason Adam in the ninth inning because manager Kevin Cash lost track of mound visits. Never heard of that. Cash, easily one of the five best managers in the sport, fully admitted his blunder, and he’s lucky it didn’t cost his team the game.
Lefty Tyler Alexander (1-2, 5.45 ERA) apparently will be the main pitcher tonight, whether he starts the game or not. The Rays essentially invented the use of an opener and could use one ahead of Alexander. He allowed a season-high six runs and three homers last time out in a loss to the Yankees – although his seven innings were a season high. Alexander, who likely gets demoted to the bullpen once Tampa Bay has all its starting pitchers healthy, had given up just two home runs over his previous five appearances. Alexander faced the Jays on March 31 in relief and allowed five runs over five innings. Toronto’s Justin Turner is 3-for-5 career off him with two homers.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Baltimore Orioles entered Wednesday’s home finale against the Jays not having been swept in 104 consecutive regular-season series’, the fourth-longest streak in MLB history. Toronto, which won Game 1 of the series, led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth in Game 2, but closer Jordan Romano couldn’t hold it as Orioles All-Star Adley Rutschman hit a walk-off two-run homer for a devastating loss and Romano’s first blown save of 2024. One huge bright spot, though, was struggling leadoff hitter George Springer going 1-for-4 with a walk, run scored and steal. It was the first time since April 26 that Springer got on base multiple times. If he gets going, that lineup totally changes.
Right-hander Chris Bassitt (3-5, 5.06 ERA gets the call on the mound Friday – he was supposed to start Tuesday in Baltimore, the original second game of the three-game set, but it was postponed to a later date and Bassitt pushed back. This month, Bassitt is 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA, both quality starts. His first start of the year was at Tampa Bay on March 29, and Bassitt allowed five runs and six hits over five in a loss. Randy Arozarena has seen him the most of any Rays hitter career and is 5-for-11 with two doubles and a homer.
