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Bet The Toronto vs Tampa Bay Pro Baseball Odds

Written by on April 5, 2016

MLB Betting News
After winning the first two games of their four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Toronto Blue Jays will look to make it as easy as 1, 2, 3 when they visit the Rays in their series finale on Wednesday. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, the Rays are my MLB betting lines pick to bring home the bacon in this contest, now let’s find out why.

How To Bet The Blue Jays (2-0) @ Rays (0-2) MLB Odds, TV & Game Info

When: Wednesday April 6 at 1:10 PM ET Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida Starting Pitchers: Blue Jays: J.A. Happ (0-0) vs Rays: Matt Moore (0-0) TV: SNET MLB Odds: TBA

Why Bet the Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays are good bet because they’re simply ‘better’ than Tampa Bay in every area. The Jays won both of the first two games of this series by identical scores of 5-3 and will hand the ball in this one to veteran left-hander J.A. Happ who returned to the Blue Jays this off season on a three-year, $36 million free-agent deal. Happ has been solid, if not overpowering in allowing five runs on 15 hits and three walks. In 14.2 innings this spring while striking out nine. Happ went 4-6 in 20 starts for Seattle last season while compiling a 4.64 ERA. While the Blue Jays have gone 4-0 in their last four games against a left-handed starter and a blistering 7-1 in their last eight road games against a left-handed starter, they’re also just 3-8 in Happ’s last 11 starts and 0-5 in his last five road starts.

Why Bet the Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays are a good bet because they’re facing a mediocre pitcher and have dominated with tonight’s starter on the mound. In his first year back from Tommy John surgery, southpaw starter Matt Moore joined the Rays in July of last season to kick off the first of what would be two stints with the Rays. In his first six starts, Moore compiled a dismal 1-3 record with an 8.78 ERA before getting sent to Triple-A. After returning however, Moore posted a 2-1 record with a solid 2.97 ERA in a half-dozen starts. The good news for the Rays coming into this contest is the fact that the Rays have gone 11-5 in their last 16 home games versus a left-handed starter and 16-7 in Moore’s last 23 starts against a team with a winning record.

Expert Prediction and Pick

Seeing as how the Rays seem to dial it up to another level when Matt Moore is on the mound – and knowing they’re facing a mediocre starter in Toronto’s J.A. Happ, I like the Blue Jays to get the series-ending win by at least two runs. The Rays are 11-5 in Matt Moore’s last 16 home starts against a team with a winning record while the Blue Jays have gone 2-5 in J.A. Happ’s last seven starts against their AL East division rivals and 0-4 in Happ’s last four starts against a team with a losing record. With the Rays going 6-1 in Moore’s last seven home starts against the Blue Jays and 5-1 in Moore’s last half-dozen starts against the Blue Jays, I think this matchup is as close to a lock as it gets! My final score prediction: Tampa Bay 5 Toronto 3
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