Blue Jays vs. Rays Prediction, Computer Picks, Odds & Pitching Matchup 7/3/2022

The Tampa Bay Rays (42-36) and Francisco Mejia (2 HR in his last game) are underdogs (+112) on the moneyline for their matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays (44-35) on Sunday at 1:37 PM ET. Toronto’s Ross Stripling and Tampa Bay’s Shane Baz have been named the starters for this 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 +112 after digging through all of the key stats and trends for this matchup. Our computer projects the total score will over the total of 8.5 runs.

Our computer pick: Tampa Bay Rays (+112) and Over (8.5)

Blue Jays vs. Rays Game Info

• Toronto Blue Jays probable starting pitcher: Ross Stripling
• Tampa Bay Rays probable starting pitcher: Shane Baz
• Game Day: Sunday, July 3, 2022
• Game Time: 1:37 PM ET
• Location: Toronto, Ontario
• Stadium: Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays Pitching Matchup

Blue Jays Starter Ross Stripling

• Stripling (4-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings pitched) makes the start for the Blue Jays, his 11th of the season.
• His last time out was on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox, when the righty tossed 5 2/3 innings, surrendering two earned runs while allowing five hits.
• The 32-year-old has put together a 3.12 ERA and 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings in 18 games this season, while allowing a batting average of .224 to opposing hitters.
• Stripling has registered two quality starts this season.
• Stripling will try to build upon a three-game streak of pitching five or more innings (he’s averaging 3.1 innings per outing).
• The opposing Rays offense has the 23rd-ranked slugging percentage (.376) and ranks 21st in MLB play with 73 home runs. It has a collective .236 batting average, and is 20th in MLB with 616 total hits and 23rd in MLB play scoring 318 runs.

Rays Starter Shane Baz

• Baz (0-1) will take to the mound for the Rays and make his fifth start of the season.
• The right-hander’s last start was on Tuesday, when he tossed 5 2/3 innings while giving up one earned run on three hits in a matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers.
• The 23-year-old has an ERA of 3.37, a 3 strikeout to walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.018 in four games this season.
• In four starts this season, he’s earned a quality start in one of them.
• Baz has made two starts of five or more innings in four chances this season, and averages 4.2 frames when he pitches.
• The Blue Jays have scored 377 runs this season, which ranks fifth in MLB. They are batting .258 for the campaign with 104 home runs, fifth in the league.

Blue Jays Betting Picks & Insights

• This season, the Blue Jays have been favored 61 times and won 35, or 57.4%, of those games.
• Toronto is 26-19 this season when entering a game favored by -132 or more on the moneyline.
• The moneyline for this contest implies a 56.9% chance of a victory for the Blue Jays.
• Games involving Toronto have gone over the total set by sportsbooks in 45 of 78 chances this season.
• The Blue Jays are 35-43-0 ATS in their 78 games with a spread this season.

Rays Betting Picks & Insights

• The Rays have been underdogs in 24 games this season and have come away with the win nine times (37.5%) in those contests.
• This season, Tampa Bay has been victorious three times in 12 chances when named as an underdog of at least +112 or longer on the moneyline.
• Sportsbooks have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Rays have a 47.2% chance of pulling out a win.
• Tampa Bay and their opponents have hit the over in 37 of their 78 games with a total set by oddsmakers this season.
• The Rays have posted a record of 35-43-0 against the spread this season.

Blue Jays Leaders & Batting Stats

• The Blue Jays best power option comes in the form of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his 19-home-run 51-RBI season, both team highs.
• Guerrero is 10th in home runs and 15th in RBI among all hitters in baseball.
• Guerrero carries a three-game hitting streak into this matchup. During his last five outings he is hitting .136 with a double, a home run and five RBI.
• Alejandro Kirk’s .318 batting average is a team-high mark.
• Kirk ranks 66th in home runs and 104th in RBI in the major leagues.
• Kirk heads into this game looking for his fourth game in a row with a hit. In his last five games he is batting .267 with a double, two walks and an RBI.
• George Springer is hitting .258 with 11 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 29 walks.
• Bo Bichette is batting .257 with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 20 walks.
• Bichette brings a seven-game streak with at least one hit into this one. During his last 10 outings he is batting .233 with four doubles, a home run, a walk and five RBI.

Rays Leaders & Batting Stats

• Yandy Diaz leads the Rays with a team-high batting average of .280.
• In all of MLB, Diaz ranks 250th in homers and 251st in RBI.
• Diaz brings a hitting streak of seven games into this game. In his last 10 games he is batting .343 with four doubles, six walks and an RBI.
• Randy Arozarena is hitting .254 with 17 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 16 walks.
• Arozarena is 122nd overall in homers and 78th in RBI this season.
• Wander Franco is batting .255 with 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 12 walks.
• Harold Ramirez is batting .321 with 12 doubles, three home runs and 14 walks.