It’s always fun when a team comes out of nowhere to emerge as a serious challenger in the MLB. With a little over 50 games played in the regular season, we are now at the point when we can legitimately start talking about an upstart team being for real. It’s not an exact science, but many baseball fans look at Memorial Day as the point at which we can look at every team and have seen enough to know what they are going to be this season. If that is indeed the case, then the Tampa Bay Rays need to be viewed as a potential playoff candidate, as they are simply not going away in the race for the AL East.
Just when it looked as though they might be starting to drop off, they have launched into another positive run that is keeping them relevant in the AL. The Rays will close out a 3-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday as they look to complete the sweep. The Rays are favored by 1 ½ in this one, with the run total set at 7 ½.
How to Bet on Blue Jays vs Rays MLB Spread & Game Preview
- When: Wednesday, May 29 at 7:10 PM EST
- Where: Tropicana Field, Tampa
- TV: SUN
- Radio: Toronto / Tampa Bay
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- Starting Pitchers: Thornton Vs Snell
- MLB Odds: Rays -1.5 (-130)
Why bet on the Toronto Blue Jays?
The Blue Jays are a team that came into the season with very few expectations placed upon them given that they are very much in the rebuilding stage of things. The Blue Jays started the season well enough, but they have been slowly but surely sliding down the standings over the past month or so. As it stands now, they are 21-34 SU and already well out of the division race.
It’s looking as though the race for the East is still going to be tight, though, so the Jays may still have a role to play in deciding who eventually lands on top. The bad news there is that they are just 4-10 SU versus division foes, which includes being 1-4 in games against the Rays. It will be Trent Thornton (1-4, 4.42 ERA) who gets the start here.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Runs: 3.80
- Hits: 7.22
- Walks: 2.84
- Strike Outs: 9.29
- Runs: 4.73
- Hits: 8.33
- Walks: 3.73
- Strike Outs: 8.51
Why bet on the Tampa Bay Rays?
After getting off to a very fast start to the season, the Rays went into a bit of a lull that allowed the Yankees to surge to the top of the division. Rather than continuing to slide, though, the Rays have rediscovered their early season form and come into this one on the heels of a 4-game winning streak that has taken them to 7-3 SU in their last 10 games. As good as they have been against the Blue Jays this season, they have not been so good against the rest of the East, going just 11-10 in divisional games.
This is a team that has also been better on the road, although they are still 15-11 at home, taking their overall record to 33-19. They are 11-9 ATS as a home favorite and will hand the ball to Blake Snell (3-4, 3.07 ERA) for this one.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Runs: 4.56
- Hits: 8.85
- Walks: 3.56
- Strike Outs: 9.63
- Runs: 3.13
- Hits: 6.96
- Walks: 3.04
- Strike Outs: 9.81
Blue Jays vs Rays MLB Betting Trends
- Blue Jays are 1-6 SU in the last 7 games
- The total went OVER in 4 of Toronto’s last 5 games
- Rays are 6-1 SU in the last 7 games
- The total went UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay’s last 6 games
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction for Blue Jays vs Rays
The Rays are on a nice little run at the moment and can potentially draw even with the Yankees at the top of the division with another win. I like them to win, cover, and complete the sweep.
Toronto Blur Jays 3 Tampa Bay Rays 5
