Blue Jays vs. Rays Prediction, Computer Picks, Odds & Pitching Matchup 8/3/2022

The Toronto Blue Jays (58-45) will look to complete a series sweep as they take a 1-0 lead into their final matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays (54-49) at 12:10 PM ET Wednesday from Tropicana Field. The Blue Jays are favored (-113) by oddsmakers. Yusei Kikuchi takes the mound for Toronto while Jalen Beeks is Tampa Bay’s starter for the contest.

Blue Jays vs. Rays Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Blue Jays vs. Rays

Our best bet is the Rays on the moneyline at -105 after digging through all of the key trends and statistics for this matchup. Our computer predicts the total score will over the total of 8 runs.

Our computer pick: Tampa Bay Rays (-105) and Over (8)

Blue Jays vs. Rays Game Info

• Toronto Blue Jays probable starting pitcher: Yusei Kikuchi
• Tampa Bay Rays probable starting pitcher: Jalen Beeks
• Game Day: Wednesday, August 3, 2022
• Game Time: 12:10 PM ET
• Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
• Stadium: Tropicana Field

Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays Pitching Matchup

Blue Jays Starter Yusei Kikuchi

• Kikuchi makes the start for the Blue Jays, his 18th of the season. He is 4-5 with a 4.89 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched.
• In his last appearance on Thursday, the lefty tossed 5 2/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers, giving up one earned run while surrendering two hits.
• The 31-year-old has amassed an ERA of 4.89, with 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings, in 17 games this season. Opponents have a .240 batting average against him.
• Kikuchi has collected three quality starts this year.
• Kikuchi heads into this game with seven outings of five or more innings pitched this season.
• The opposing Rays offense has a collective .239 batting average, and is 21st in the league with 824 total hits and 23rd in MLB play with 421 runs scored. It has the 23rd-ranked slugging percentage (.379) and ranks 23rd in home runs (94) in all of MLB.
• Kikuchi has a 1.5 ERA and a 0.833 WHIP against the Rays this season in six innings pitched, allowing a .190 batting average over one appearance.

Rays Starter Jalen Beeks

• The Rays will send Beeks (1-1) to the mound for his sixth start this season.
• The left-hander last pitched out of the bullpen on Sunday, when he threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings without allowing a hit to the Cleveland Guardians.
• The 29-year-old has pitched to a 2.36 ERA this season with 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings compared to 3 walks per nine across 25 games.
• Beeks has not earned a quality start in five starts this season.
• In five starts this season, Beeks has yet to pitch five or more innings. He’s averaging 1.2 frames per appearance.
• The Blue Jays have scored 498 runs this season, which ranks fourth in MLB. They are batting .265 for the campaign with 132 home runs, sixth in the league.
• The Blue Jays have gone 0-for-3 in one game against the left-hander this season.

Blue Jays Betting Picks & Insights

• The Blue Jays have been favorites in 84 games this season and won 49 (58.3%) of those contests.
• This season, Toronto has won 49 of its 82 games, or 59.8%, when favored by at least -113 on the moneyline.
• The implied probability of a win from the Blue Jays, based on the moneyline, is 53.1%.
• Toronto’s games have gone over the total in 54 of their 102 chances.
• In 102 games with a spread this season, the Blue Jays are 47-55-0 ATS.

Rays Betting Picks & Insights

• The Rays have won in 14, or 42.4%, of the 33 contests they have been named as odds-on underdogs in this year.
• Tampa Bay has a win-loss record of 13-18 when favored by -105 or worse by sportsbooks this year.
• The Rays have an implied victory probability of 51.2% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.
• Tampa Bay and their opponents have hit the over in 50 of their 103 games with a total set by oddsmakers this season.
• The Rays have posted a record of 45-58-0 against the spread this season.

Blue Jays Leaders & Batting Stats

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has put up a team-high 21 home runs and 63 runs batted in.
• Including all MLB hitters, Guerrero is 33rd in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, and 17th in slugging.
• Guerrero takes a hitting streak of 13 games into this matchup. In his last 10 games he is batting .421 with six doubles, a home run, four walks and six RBI.
• George Springer has 14 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs and 35 walks while batting .251.
• Springer ranks 34th in home runs in MLB, and 65th in RBI.
• Alejandro Kirk has 14 doubles, 12 home runs and 36 walks while hitting .308.
• Whit Merrifield is hitting .240 with 23 doubles, a triple, six home runs and 30 walks.

Rays Leaders & Batting Stats

• Yandy Diaz paces the Rays with a team-leading batting average of .288.
• Diaz is 218th in home runs and 161st in RBI among all hitters in the big leagues.
• Randy Arozarena has collected 47 runs batted in to pace his team.
• Among all MLB batters, Arozarena ranks 79th in homers and 65th in RBI.
• David Peralta is batting .246 with 19 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 27 walks.
• Ji-Man Choi is batting .254 with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 40 walks.