The Toronto Blue Jays will look to close out their series Thursday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays.

While the Jays have outscored the Rays 27-14 in the series, that was in thanks to the game two blowout 20-1 win for Toronto. Otherwise, they&#8217;ve struggled to find their way against a Rays team at the top of the division.
Toronto sends Alek Manoah to the mound who will go opposite of Zach Eflin.
First pitch: 1:10 p.m. EST
Weather: None! The Jays are at the Trop.
Toronto Blue Jays: 26-24, 9.5 GB, 2.5 WCGB, +20 DIFF.
Tampa Bay Rays: 36-15, &#8211; GB, &#8211; WCGB. +111 DIFF.
<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662/">Odds via Betano:</a>
Moneyline: TOR +147; TBR -175.
Starting pitchers:
TOR: Alek Manoah RHP — 1-4, 5.15 ERA, 6.26 FIP, 1.737 WHIP, 7.1 K/9, -0.5 WAR.
TBR: Zach Elfin RHP — 6-1, 3.45 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.000 WHIP, 10.0 K/9, 0.7 WAR.
Lineups: 
Toronto
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--away">
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/bo-bichette-666182" target="" rel="noopener">B Bichette</a> (R) SS</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/daulton-varsho-662139" target="" rel="noopener">D Varsho</a> (L) LF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) 1B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/brandon-belt-474832" target="" rel="noopener">B Belt</a> (L) DH</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/matt-chapman-656305" target="" rel="noopener">M Chapman</a> (R) 3B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/nathan-lukes-664770" target="" rel="noopener">N Lukes</a> (L) RF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/alejandro-kirk-672386" target="" rel="noopener">A Kirk</a> (R) C</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/kevin-kiermaier-595281" target="" rel="noopener">K Kiermaier</a> (L) CF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) 2B</li>
</ol>
Tampa
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--home">
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/josh-lowe-666139" target="" rel="noopener">J Lowe</a> (L) RF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/wander-franco-677551" target="" rel="noopener">W Franco</a> (S) SS</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/randy-arozarena-668227" target="" rel="noopener">R Arozarena</a> (R) LF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/brandon-lowe-664040" target="" rel="noopener">B Lowe</a> (L) 2B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/harold-ramirez-623912" target="" rel="noopener">H Ramírez</a> (R) DH</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/taylor-walls-670764" target="" rel="noopener">T Walls</a> (S) 3B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/luke-raley-670042" target="" rel="noopener">L Raley</a> (L) 1B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/manuel-margot-622534" target="" rel="noopener">M Margot</a> (R) CF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/francisco-mejia-642336" target="" rel="noopener">F Mejía</a> (S) C</li>
</ol>
<h2>Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
<a href="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/2023/05/22/bjn-radio-ep-146-the-os-flipped-the-script-and-made-the-blue-jays-the-trash-birds/">Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio</a> as the crew talks about the Jays&#8217; latest series against the Baltimore Orioles.
<iframe title="Spotify Embed: The O&amp;apos;s flipped the script and made the Blue Jays the Trash Birds" style="border-radius: 12px" width="100%" height="152" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/5e660EFN0ygwRToU3Vmov6?utm_source=oembed"></iframe>
<hr />
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
<hr />
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The Toronto Blue Jays will look to close out their series Thursday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays.



While the Jays have outscored the Rays 27-14 in the series, that was in thanks to the game two blowout 20-1 win for Toronto. Otherwise, they've struggled to find their way against a Rays team at the top of the division.

Toronto sends Alek Manoah to the mound who will go opposite of Zach Eflin.

First pitch: 1:10 p.m. EST

Weather: None! The Jays are at the Trop.

Toronto Blue Jays: 26-24, 9.5 GB, 2.5 WCGB, +20 DIFF.

Tampa Bay Rays: 36-15, - GB, - WCGB. +111 DIFF.

<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662/">Odds via Betano:</a>

Moneyline: TOR +147; TBR -175.

Starting pitchers:

TOR: Alek Manoah RHP — 1-4, 5.15 ERA, 6.26 FIP, 1.737 WHIP, 7.1 K/9, -0.5 WAR.

TBR: Zach Elfin RHP — 6-1, 3.45 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.000 WHIP, 10.0 K/9, 0.7 WAR.

Lineups: 

Toronto
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--away">
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/bo-bichette-666182" target="" rel="noopener">B Bichette</a> (R) SS</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/daulton-varsho-662139" target="" rel="noopener">D Varsho</a> (L) LF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) 1B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/brandon-belt-474832" target="" rel="noopener">B Belt</a> (L) DH</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/matt-chapman-656305" target="" rel="noopener">M Chapman</a> (R) 3B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/nathan-lukes-664770" target="" rel="noopener">N Lukes</a> (L) RF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/alejandro-kirk-672386" target="" rel="noopener">A Kirk</a> (R) C</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/kevin-kiermaier-595281" target="" rel="noopener">K Kiermaier</a> (L) CF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) 2B</li>
</ol>
Tampa
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--home">
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/josh-lowe-666139" target="" rel="noopener">J Lowe</a> (L) RF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/wander-franco-677551" target="" rel="noopener">W Franco</a> (S) SS</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/randy-arozarena-668227" target="" rel="noopener">R Arozarena</a> (R) LF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/brandon-lowe-664040" target="" rel="noopener">B Lowe</a> (L) 2B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/harold-ramirez-623912" target="" rel="noopener">H Ramírez</a> (R) DH</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/taylor-walls-670764" target="" rel="noopener">T Walls</a> (S) 3B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/luke-raley-670042" target="" rel="noopener">L Raley</a> (L) 1B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/manuel-margot-622534" target="" rel="noopener">M Margot</a> (R) CF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/francisco-mejia-642336" target="" rel="noopener">F Mejía</a> (S) C</li>
</ol>
<h2>Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
<a href="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/2023/05/22/bjn-radio-ep-146-the-os-flipped-the-script-and-made-the-blue-jays-the-trash-birds/">Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio</a> as the crew talks about the Jays' latest series against the Baltimore Orioles.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5e660EFN0ygwRToU3Vmov6

<hr />

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

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