The Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays open their seasons with the 1st Game of a 4-Game set Thursday at Tropicana Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Blue Jays vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Rays won 7-6 last season
The Blue Jays won 89 games a season ago, and they did very good work on the road, winning 46 of 81. Toronto struggled inside the AL East, however, going just 21-31, which was a major reason it finished 12 games back of the 1st-place Baltimore Orioles.
The Rays rolled up 53 victories in 81 games at home, tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the most home victories in the majors. Tampa Bay posted a 31-21 mark inside the AL East, too, while winning 99 games, just 2 games back of the 1st-place O’s.
The Rays were 4-3 in 7 meetings against the Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. The Over has cashed in 11 consecutive games in the series, including a perfect 7-0 at Tampa Bay last season.
Blue Jays at Rays projected starters
RHP Jose Berrios vs. RHP Zach Eflin
Berrios (11-12, 3.65 ERA) made 32 starts in 2023. He posted a 1.19 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9 and 8.7 K/9 through 189 2/3 innings.
- 2023 road splits: 5-6, 3.97 ERA (99 2/3 IP, 44 ER — 13 HR), 29 BB, 91 K in 17 starts
- Last start vs. Rays: Win, 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K in 20-1 road victory May 23, 2023
- 2023 vs. Tampa Bay: 2-0, 1.50 ERA, 12 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 11 K in 2 starts
- Career vs. Rays: 3-4, 4.91 ERA (55 IP, 30 ER) in 10 starts
Eflin (16-8, 3.50 ERA) made 31 starts in 2023. He posted a 1.02 WHIP, 1.2 BB/9 and 9.4 K/9 through 177 2/3 innings.
- 2023 home splits: 11-4, 3.30 ERA (103 2/3 IP, 38 ER — 11 HR), 14 BB, 120 K in 18 starts
- 2023 vs. Toronto: Win, 7 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 0 K in 1 start, a 6-3 home victory May 25, 2023
- Career vs. Blue Jays: 2-2, 5.64 ERA (22 1/3 IP, 14 ER) in 4 starts and 1 relief appearance
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Blue Jays at Rays odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 11:40 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Blue Jays +115 (bet $100 to win $115) | Rays -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Blue Jays +1.5 (-185) | Rays -1.5 (+150)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Blue Jays at Rays picks and predictions
Prediction
Rays 5, Blue Jays 4
Moneyline
The RAYS (-135) are a strong play at home as moderate favorites behind Eflin. He was dominant at the Trop last season, posting 11 of his AL-best-tying 16 wins at home.
Tampa Bay is 3-0 straight up (SU) in the past 3 openers, and it is 3-0 SU in the previous 3 home openers, too. The last time the Rays lost an opener was the COVID-shortened season against the Blue Jays July 24, 2021.
Run line/Against the spread
The Blue Jays +1.5 (-185) will cost you nearly 2 times your potential return if you want a little bit of insurance and you just can’t trust Toronto straight up on the road.
It’s a little too expensive, however, costing you nearly 2 times your potential return.
AVOID, and just bet Toronto straight up if you like it.
Over/Under
OVER 7.5 (-110) is a risky play given the fact Berrios was dominant in a pair of quality starts against the Rays, while Eflin was top notch at home, and he shut down the Blue Jays in his only appearance in 2023.
However, we have seen 11 consecutive Over results in this series and 7 straight at the Trop. We’ve had good pitching matchups on tap in this series before, but the offenses have dominated. Until the Over trend dissipates, keep going high when these teams clash.
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