Blue Jays vs. Rays MLB Preview and Best Bet

The Blue Jays are desperately trying to claim one of the two American League wild-card berths while the Rays are intent on copping their second consecutive AL East title, which makes for a compelling Monday night divisional showdown between the clubs. Let’s analyze this matchup and keep cashing our MLB picks!

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Monday, September 20, 2021 - 07:10 PM EDT at Tropicana Field

The Jays have won 18 of their last 22 games and are suddenly in the postseason conversation as they battle the Red Sox, Yankees, Athletics, and Mariners for one of the two wild-card spots. Entering this three-game set with the Rays, the Blue Jays have won their last seven series and are hot off the heels of defeating the Twins in two of three games over the weekend.

On Sunday, the Jays scored all the runs they would need in the first inning and no more after that as they secured a 5-3 win over Minnesota in their series finale. Jose Berrios pitched into the seventh inning, allowing three runs and four hits to lead his new team, as of July 30th, past the one where he spent the last six years.

"I felt like I was playing back in Puerto Rico in my backyard with a lot of friends I know from a long time ago," Berrios said. "I enjoyed this a lot today.

The 27-year-old righty has taken the hill 10 times for the Jays and has posted a 5-3 mark with a 3.39 ERA while averaging 5.5 strikeouts per start. Meanwhile, teammate Vladimir Guerrero continued his assault on opposing pitchers by touching the Twins hurlers for three hits and an RBI. The 22-year-old superstar is now batting .321 with 46 dingers, and 105 RBI on a spectacular season.

https://youtu.be/3bWowdQKg1A?t=368

Rays Drop Pair to Tigers

Tampa Bay has been struggling recently, going 4-7 over their last 11 contests. Their last two games, both against a subpar Tigers team, did not snap them out of their current funk. After winning the first two of their four-game series at home, the Rays lapsed into an all too familiar pattern and dropped a 4-3 decision on Saturday followed by a 2-0 loss on Sunday.

Detroit’s veteran starter, Wily Peralta, tossed seven full innings and allowed only three hits until the Tigers relief corps slammed the door shut in Detroit’s shutout victory over the AL powerhouse. Catcher Mike Zunino went 3-for-3 for the Rays while teammates Austin Meadows and Yandy Diaz had a hit apiece.

Tampa Bay last met Toronto last week when they dropped two of three by a combined score of 14-4 over those two losses. Over their 15 season meetings, the Rays own a narrow 8-7 edge and this will be the last regular-season series of the year between the clubs.

https://twitter.com/RaysBaseball/status/1439072648529580046?s=20

Wanna Make a Bet?

The MLB odds at all of the best online sportsbooks are dealing the Blue Jays as slight road favorites and we can surmise that this is due to the pitching matchup as well as the way each team has been playing down the home stretch of the season. Toronto has the edge in both categories according to the oddsmakers.

The Jays will send southpaw Robbie Ray (12-5, 2.64 ERA, 1.01 WHIP) who has not only had a stellar season but has been even better when facing the Rays this season, posting a 2-1 mark with a 1.85 ERA in five starts.

Tampa Bay will summon former Olympian, Shane Baz, who has crafted a 3-0 record with a 1.76 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Durham, including 69 strikeouts against only 11 walks over 46 innings.

When asked about his MLB debut, Baz was candid when he said, “The Olympics were definitely nerve-wracking. Kind of even more with no fans there, so you didn’t really have the buzz of the crowd to keep you into it. It was strange, but it was great. I think I was more nervous for that than I am now. So, I think it will be good.”

As we evaluate this game, we should keep in mind that Robbie Ray is having the best season of what has been a decent, albeit unspectacular career. His only other outstanding season was back in 2017, the only time he made the All-Star team. Quite frankly, I am unconvinced this mojo will be carried into the postseason because he has not historically been a top-tier pitcher.

That said, we are getting the best team in the American League at a generous price and with a young pitcher who is universally acclaimed as one of the very best prospects in all of baseball. Let’s grab the home hound here and back the Rays for our MLB picks.

MLB Pick: (visit our Sportsbook Review)

*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.