by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post
The Toronto Blue Jays play out the string against a motivated opponent that has had their number inside the Rogers Centre for the last two seasons.
The Blue Jays are the +170 home underdog (bet $100 to win $170) while the Tampa Bay Rays are a -200 away favorite (bet $200 to win $100) with a 9.5-run total on the MLB odds for Friday at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Toronto is 6-10 in its last 16 home games against Tampa Bay.
Rays at Blue Jays | OddsShark Matchup Report
The Blue Jays are 9-9 this season as a home underdog of +150 or more on the moneyline, but the Rays are 13-7 in their last 20 away games as a moneyline favourite of -175 or farther into minus money, with the total going UNDER in 14 of those games, according to the OddsShark MLB Database.
Tampa Bay is battling to host the American League wild-card game. The Rays (95-64) are one game behind the Oakland Athletics (96-63) for the first wild card and home-field advantage and are two up on the Cleveland Indians (93-66) for the first wild card.
Right-hander T.J. Zeuch (1-1, 4.58 ERA, 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings) makes his third career start on Friday, opposite Rays righty Tyler Glasnow (6-1, 1.92 ERA, 11.5 SO/9). For what it might be worth the total has finished UNDER in both of Zeuch’s starts. The Rays are 6-1 in Glasnow’s last seven away starts, and the total has finished UNDER in nine of his last 13 starts on the road.
Right-hander Trent Thornton (5-9, 5.00 ERA, 8.5 SO/9) will wrap up his rookie season on Saturday. The Rays, who could potentially have a playoff spot clinched by this point, have not named their starter. Thornton has an 8.44 ERA in 16 innings against the Rays this season, giving up a slash line of .360/.437/.707. The Blue Jays are 2-6 in his eight starts as a home underdog, with the total finishing OVER six times at sports betting sites.
Veteran right-hander Clay Buchholz (1-5, 7.00, 6.9 SO/9) will start for the Blue Jays on Sunday, while the Rays’ pitching plan, with no announced starter, is subject to change depending on their playoff scenario. The total has gone UNDER in nine of Buchholz’s last 11 starts against Tampa Bay. The total has also gone UNDER in six of Buchholz’s last nine starts when his team was the underdog.
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