The Tampa Bay Rays (25-22) travel to face off against the Toronto Blue Jays (19-25) on Sunday, May 19th. This game will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto and televised on SNET. The Rays are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Blue Jays are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Rays. First pitch is set for 1:37 ET.
Rays vs Blue Jays
Tampa Bay picked up a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays in the most recent game of this series. The Rays had a three-run 6th inning and scored the game’s final run in the 8th. As for the Blue Jays, they scored four of their runs in the 5th and didn’t score another run after that.
Zach Eflin got the win for the Rays, going six innings and giving up four runs. He finished the game with three strikeouts but didn’t issue a walk. On the other side, Kevin Gausman went six innings for the Blue Jays, giving up three earned runs on eight hits.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a three-hit game for the Blue Jays and drove in a run. Davis Schneider also had two hits and an RBI. For the Rays, Jonny DeLuca hit the game’s only home run and drove in three runs.
Tampa Bay is on a four-game winning streak, and they are 25-22 overall this season. In the AL East, they are seven games behind the Yankees and are 3rd in the division. So far, they have gone 9-7 in divisional games.
At home, the Rays have gone 14-12 this season, and they are just above .500 at 11-10 on the road. This year, they are an even 15-15 when favored and 10-7 as the underdog. Tampa Bay’s overall series record is 6-6-2, and they have taken a 2-0 series lead over the Blue Jays heading into today’s game.
When betting the run line, the Rays have been a better play on the road this season than at home. They are 12-9 against the run line on the road, including covering in six straight games. Their average run margin on the road is -0.8, compared to -0.4 at home. Tampa Bay is 10-20 against the run line as the favorite and 12-5 as the underdog.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have had a combined run average of 8.9 runs per game this season. The over/under line for today’s game is set at 8.5 runs. The Rays have played 46 games this season, with 25 of them going over the total and 21 going under. Their games have had an average over/under line of 8 runs per game. When the line has been set at 8.5 runs, the over has hit in 7 of 18 games. So far this season, 6 of the Rays’ games have had an over/under line set at 8.5 runs.
Aaron Civale Gets The Start For The Rays
Tampa Bay is sending Aaron Civale to the mound today vs. the Blue Jays, and he comes in with a record of 2-3 and an ERA of 5.83. So far, he has made three quality starts and is averaging 9.52 strikeouts per nine innings. Civale’s last outing came vs. the Red Sox, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up three earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least six hits and three earned runs in three straight outings. The right-hander has been much better at home, with an ERA of 4.97 compared to 7.78 on the road.
Rays Offense Breakdown
Isaac Paredes has been one of the league’s top hitters this season, batting .308 with a team-high eight home runs. His 24 RBIs are also the best mark on the team and 15th in the league. Paredes has also been hot of late, going 7/19 in his last five games. Yandy Diaz and Richie Palacios are also having solid seasons for the Rays, with Diaz batting .263 and Palacios at .265.
As a team, the Rays are averaging 4.2 runs per game and are batting a collective .244. Their team on-base percentage is 9th in the league, and they have the 4th best BABIP in the MLB. Tampa Bay’s offense has been pretty good at home this season, averaging 4.3 runs per game.
Toronto is 5th in the AL East, trailing the Yankees by 11.5 games. Overall, the Blue Jays are 19-25 and have dropped three straight games, with all three coming in this series vs. the Rays. So far, they are just 6-8 in AL East matchups.
At home, the Blue Jays are 9-11 this year and 10-14 on the road. As the favorite, Toronto has gone 14-12 but just 5-13 as the underdog. So far, they have lost three straight at home, and their overall series record is 4-7-3. Looking at their overall record, the Blue Jays have gone just 3-7 over their last ten games.
The Blue Jays are 19-25 against the run line this season, including a 7-13 mark at home. Their average run differential for the season is -1.1 runs per game, but they have covered the run line in two straight games as the underdog and are 12-12 vs. the run line on the road.
With an average combined run average of 8.3 runs per game, the Blue Jays have seen their games go over the total in 18 of 43 games this season, including six of 16 when the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs. The over/under line for today’s game against the Rays is set at 8.5 runs, and the Blue Jays have gone over that total in six of 16 games when the line has been set at 8.5 runs this season.
Alek Manoah Gets The Start For The Blue Jays
Getting the start at home for the Blue Jays is Alek Manoah. In his first start of the season, he took the loss after going 7 innings and giving up 3 runs. He did strike out 6 batters and only allowed 4 hits, but he did give up a home run. In his first start of the season, he went 4 innings and gave up 6 earned runs.
Blue Jays Offense Breakdown
Over the Blue Jays’ last eight games, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has gone 15/31 (.484) with five RBIs, but he has yet to hit a home run during that stretch. Davis Schneider has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/28 with two homers and five RBIs. Daulton Varsho has seven home runs this season but is hitting just .212 and is batting only .129 over his last eight games.
As a team, the Blue Jays are averaging just 3.6 runs per game, which is 29th in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in most power-hitting categories, including home runs and slugging percentage. Overall, they are batting .228, which is 18th in the MLB.
Rays vs Blue Jays Prediction
Getting the Blue Jays at -108 on the money line is a great value, and we have them winning this one by a score of 5-4. At -108, there is a lot of value in taking the Blue Jays to win this one outright, rather than taking the over or under, as we have this game finishing with a combined nine runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Alek Manoah is actually projected to finish with the fourth-most strikeouts among starters today, and he is also projected to pick up the win. As for Aaron Civale, he is projected to finish with just four strikeouts, which is the sixth lowest among starters.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:May 19, 2024 Blue Jays, Rays