It appears the Tampa Bay Rays have shaken out of their funk just in time for the All-Star break. After going through a stretch where they lost 12 of 16 games, the Rays have now won four in a row as they welcome the hard-hitting Toronto Blue Jays to town.
The Jays will also be looking to head into the break with some momentum as they try and close the gap between them and the Rays in the American League East standings. Check out our free MLB betting picks and predictions for Blue Jays vs. Rays on Friday, July 9.
Blue Jays vs Rays game info
• Location: Tropicana Field, Tampa, FL
• Date: Friday, July 9, 2021
• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• TV: BSSUN, SN1
Blue Jays vs Rays odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
MLB sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonBetMGM Nevada opened the Rays -120 and is out to -135 as of 4:30 p.m. ET, but the action so far belies the moneyline movement. Ticket count is running 2/1 in favor of the Blue Jays and money 2.5/1 in favor of Toronto. The total opened at 8.5 flat (-110) and is now 8.5 (Over -115), but there's little action, with the book having a very modest need on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gameBlue Jays vs Rays betting preview
Starting pitchers
Alek Manoah (2-0, 2.70 ERA): The Blue Jays have to be thrilled with what they have seen from Manoah at this point. He is dominating opponents with a tough fastball and a devastating slider. He is also coming off arguably the best start of his young big league career, shutting out this same Rays team on just three hits over seven innings while striking out 10.
Shane McClanahan (3-3, 4.18 ERA): The Rays counter with their own exciting rookie in McClanahan. The hard-throwing lefty looks to be getting stronger with each start he makes and is coming off a solid performance against the Jays allowing three runs on three hits while striking out five in 5 1-3 innings.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Blue Jays: Ryan Borucki RP (Out), Julian Merryweather RP (Out), Alejandro Kirk C (Out), Tyler Chatwood RP (Out), Corey Dickerson LF (Out).
Rays: Manuel Margot RF (Out), Ryan Thompson RP (Out), Nick Anderson RP (Out), Oliver Drake RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 4-0 in Shane McClanahan’s last four starts at home. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Rays.
Moneyline pick
This isn’t just a matchup of two American League East rivals, but two of the best up-and-coming young starters in baseball.
Despite logging just seven major league starts, Manoah has helped stabilize the Blue Jays rotation. The rookie has pitched to a 2.70 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP and is limiting opponents to a .187 batting average. And, of course, he dominated the Rays in his last start.
On the other side is McClanahan, who is looking better and better with each start. The lefty has thrown at least five innings in each of his last four starts, where he is pitching to a 3.69 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.
So, with burgeoning starters on the bump, we’ll turn to the lineups to find the betting value in this one. While the Rays are a scrappy bunch that seems to get that timely hit more often than not, they still rank 23rd in batting average and strike out more than anyone in baseball.
The Blue Jays, on the other hand, have one of, if not the top lineup in baseball. They rank second in scoring, average and OPS, and lead the big leagues in home runs. Combine that with a Rays bullpen that has been a little shaky of late and the value here is with the underdogs.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays (+120)
Over/Under pick
Even with two exciting young pitchers on the mound, right off the bat, this total looks a little low considering this is a matchup of two Top-10 scoring teams in baseball. Plus, the Over is 4-3 in the last seven meetings between these teams, and that was without seeing a total lower than 9.0. Toronto and Tampa have averaged 9.6 total runs per game in their 10 meetings this season.
As noted, the Jays offense is one of the most dangerous in baseball and over their last 12 games, they have plated 6.83 runs per contest. The Jays are also crushing lefties, ranking first in batting average and OPS over the last month, and will go against a Rays bullpen that has a 5.14 ERA over its last 11 games.
The Rays have also found their hitting shoes of late, scoring 6.5 runs per game over their current four-game winning streak. While Manoah can be great, he’s still young and will have to hand to a Jays bullpen that has added some new pieces, but still makes Jays fans hold their collective breath whenever they come into the game. This one gets Over the number.
PREDICTION: Over 8.5 (-110)
Blue Jays vs Rays betting card
- Blue Jays (+120)
- Over 8.5 (-110)
Picks made on 7/9/2021 at 1:20 p.m. ET
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