The Tampa Bay Rays (40-34) head to the Rogers Centre Thursday to start a 5-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays (42-33) at 7:07 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the Rays vs. Blue Jays odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Tampa is 5-5 straight up (SU) in the last 10 games, but lost both games of an interleague back-to-back at home with the Milwaukee Brewers this week.
Toronto is also 5-5 SU in the last 10 and took 2 of 3 game from the Boston Red Sox Monday-Wednesday after dropping 2 consecutive series to the Brewers and Chicago White Sox.
The Rays lead the season series with their AL East rivals 2-1 and have a plus-2 run differential over the Jays in those meetings.
Rays at Blue Jays projected starters
RHP Matt Wisler vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi
Wisler is 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 7.2 K/9 in 3 starts and 28 relief appearances.
- Last start: No-decision in Tampa’s 8-7 win at the Seattle Mariners May 6 with 2 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 HR, 0 BB and 2 K.
- 2022 vs. the Blue Jays: 0-0 with 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB and 1 H in 2 1/3 IP over 2 relief appearances and 7 Toronto hitters faced.
Kikuchi is 2-4 with a 5.08 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 5.6 BB/9 and 10.5 K/9 in 56 2/3 IP over 14 starts.
- Last start: Lost 5-4 at the Brewers Saturday with 2 IP, 5 R (2 ER), 6 H, 2 HR, 1 BB and 5 K.
- 2021 vs. the Rays: 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA (13 IP, 2 ER), 10 H, 1 HR, 5 BB and 11 K in 2 starts while pitching for the Mariners.
Rays at Blue Jays odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 1:45 p.m. ET.
- Money line (ML): Rays +115 (bet $100 to win $115) | Blue Jays -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rays +1.5 (-175) | Blue Jays -1.5 (+140)
- Over/Under (O/U): 9.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
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Rays at Blue Jays picks and predictions
Prediction
Blue Jays 7, Rays 4
Money line
BET the BLUE JAYS (-140) because they’ve been steamed up by heavy sharp action and the Rays (+115) are just 1-6 SU with a minus-65.7% return on investment (ROI) as underdogs vs. left-handed starters.
Toronto’s ML opened at -126 but has been increased due to more than 70% of the cash being on the Blue Jays, per Pregame.com. Also, a slight majority of the bets placed are on the Rays. There’s a “Pros vs. Joe’s” scenario in the betting market but the oddsmakers are reacting to all the pro-Toronto money.
BET 1 unit on the BLUE JAYS (-140).
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Run line/Against the spread
LEAN BLUE JAYS -1.5 (+140) only because they are just 11-23 RL as home favorites. But, the Rays +1.5 (-175) are just 3-4 RL as underdogs vs. left-handed pitchers with a minus-32.3% ROI.
Over/Under
LEAN OVER 9.5 (-107) only because we are getting the worst of the number since the Rays-Blue Jays total opened at 8.5 (per Pregame.com) and has been steamed all the way up by presumably sharp action.
However, Tampa is 6-0 O/U in the last 6 games vs. left-handed starters and Toronto is 6-0 O/U in Kikuchi’s last 6 starts and 19-15 O/U as home favorites.
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