MLB Predictions: Can the Blue Jays top the Rays? 8/16/17
Can the Toronto Blue Jays bounce back from Tuesday loss when they face the Tampa Bay Rays tonight at 7:07PM ET? Here’s our MLB Predictions for this game.
THE ODDS
According to the latest oddsmakers, Toronto is favored at home, as the Blue Jays are getting odds of -140 to win, while the Rays are getting a money line of +125 to win. The over/under total for the game is listed at 8.5 runs.
PITCHING MATCHUP
The pitching matchup tonight has Marcus Stroman (10-6, 3.00 ERA) on the mound for the Jays to face Jacob Faria (5-3, 3.19) of the Rays. Faria has struggled as of late, allowing at least three runs in four of his last five starts. He has 74 strikeouts with 27 walks and a 1.17 WHIP. Stroman is coming off an 8-inning effort against the Pirates where he didn’t allow an earned run. Stroman has 124 strikeouts and 47 walks this season with a 1.29 WHIP.
RECORDS
These two have split the first two games in this series, as Toronto picked up a 2-1 win on Monday and the Rays earned a 6-4 win on Tuesday. Toronto is now 57-62 overall and 32-29 at home while Tampa Bay is 60-61 overall and 29-31 on the road.
TUESDAY’S RECAP
Tampa hadn’t been hitting the ball well lately, but managed to put up six runs in 4.1 innings against Marco Estrada. He took his eighth loss of the season. Blake Snell earned his first win of the year by allowing four runs over six innings. His bullpen pitched three innings of 1-hit ball. Josh Donaldson had two hits and three RBI, including his 18th home run, to lead the Blue Jays. Lucas Duda drove in a pair of runs for Tampa while Wilson Ramos had three hits.
MLB PREDICTIONS
Tampa Bay had a surprising offensive outburst on Tuesday, but I don’t see that continuing today. Stroman has been a good pitcher all season for Toronto and he should be able to shut down this team unless his defense fails him again. Toronto hasn’t been great at the plate either, so this could be a grinder of a game, but I think the Jays manufacture some runs on Faria while Stroman has a great outing.
MLB Predictions – Toronto Blue Jays -140
