MLB Rays vs Blue Jays Betting Analysis: Toronto Looking to Secure Wild-Card Spot

The Toronto Blue Jays are playing as well as anyone right now as they have surged into an AL Wild-Card spot. However, they are still way behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East Division as the clubs meet in Toronto on Monday. The Jays are favored on the MLB odds. Let’s take a closer look at both teams and they arrive to this match between the Rays and the Jays si you can bet against their MLB odds.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays Preview | MLB Betting

How to Bet Rays at Blue Jays MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Monday, 7:07 PM ET
Where: Rogers Centre
Probable pitchers (away/home): Collin McHugh/Alek Manoah
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: Blue Jays -125, Rays +115 (total 9)

Why Bet on Tampa Bay?

The Rays have dropped three of four following an 8-7 11-inning upset in Detroit on Sunday. Brett Phillips went 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and a stolen base in the loss – he was activated from the injured list before the game.

Tampa Bay is without stellar rookie shortstop Wander Franco, who was placed on the injured list over the weekend with a hamstring injury. The game’s consensus top prospect entering the season, Franco has demonstrated exactly why he’s so highly-regarded over his first couple months in the majors. He’s reached base safely in each of his past 39 games (including tonight’s contest, in which he singled in his only plate appearance). In MLB history, only Hall of Famer Frank Robinson has posted a longer on-base streak (43 games in 1956) at such a young age.

In 62 big league games, Franco owns a .285/.347/.463 batting line with seven home runs. He’s hitting .325/.393/.530 with more walks (15) than strikeouts (14) during the 39-game on-base streak, and in his last 23 games and 98 plate appearances, Franco has struck out only three times.

The Rays have nine players with 10+ HR, most among AL clubs and tied with the Cubs for 2nd in the majors behind the Giants (10). They have 14 players with at least 5 HR, tied for most in the AL and tied for 3rd in the majors behind the Giants (16) and Brewers (15).

It’s Collin McHugh on the mound here – he will serve as an opener. Ryan Yarbrough will follow McHugh and work the bulk of the innings against the red-hot and powerful Jays lineup. McHugh has excelled in whatever role he has been asked to fulfill this season, registering a 1.46 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 69/12 K/BB ratio across 55 1/3 innings. McHugh has faced the Jays four times this year, totaling 7.1 innings. In that time, he has allowed just 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 11. Through 136.0 innings this year, Yarbrough is 8-4 with a 4.90 ERA.

Why Bet on Toronto?

Per Fangraphs.com, the Blue Jays’ odds to make the playoffs now stand at 66.3%.

The Jays won for the ninth time in 10 games on Sunday, 22-7 in Baltimore. Yes, 22 runs. Lourdes Gurriel homered twice and had seven RBIs. He hit a grand slam off Zac Lowther in the opening frame and also scalded a two-run homer off righty reliever Michael Baumann in the fifth inning. It was his first multi-homer performance of the season. Gurriel Jr. is having a September to remember. Through 12 games, he is 17-for-42 with 3 doubles, 2 triples and 5 home runs, scoring 13 runs and driving in a whopping 24.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. blasted his major league-leading 44th homer of the season. The 22-year-old has gone deep eight times across his last 14 games since August 30. He’s tied with the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani for the major-league lead with 44 dingers. Guerrero has joined Joe DiMaggio (46 in 1937) and Juan Gonzalez (43 in 1992) as the only players in AL history to reach 43 homers at age 22 or younger.

It’s rookie Alek Manoah (5-2, 3.71) on the mound here. Manoah yielded three runs in 5 2/3 innings last Wednesday in a no-decision versus the Yankees. Manoah let a three-run lead slip away when he gave up a three-run homer to Brett Gardner in the fifth. The Jays have won each of his last four starts, though he’s received no-decisions in all of those games.

Manoah has faced the Rays twice this year, fashioning a 1.69 ERA (2 ER/10.2 IP) with 4 walks and 19 strikeouts. In 8 career meetings with the AL East, he has gone 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.