Toronto (57-45) at Tampa Bay (54-48)
When: Tuesday, August 2nd 2022
Where: Tropicana Field,
St. Petersburg, FL
Time: 7:10 ET | TV: MLB.tv
Opening Odds: Toronto -140/7
The Toronto Blue Jays hit the road for an 11-game trip beginning Tuesday night in St. Petersburg to take on the Tampa Bay Rays for the first of two. These are two teams that are trending in opposite directions as we near the trade deadline, so the rosters could look a little different before first pitch on Tuesday. The Jays went through a rough 1-9 skid before changing managers and are now on an 11-3 run under John Schneider. Toronto is coming off a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday and are 7-2 since the All-Star Break with a run differential of +37, while maintaining the top seed in American League wild card race. Kevin Gausman looks to bounce back from a rough outing when he takes the mound for Toronto on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Rays are scuffling and are in danger of falling outside the wild card race. Tampa Bay has lost all three series since the All-Star Break (3-7) after Shane McClanahan was rocked for five runs in seven hits in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The offense is still short-handed without Wander Franco, Harold Ramirez and Manuel Margot, who aren’t expected back until September, which could be too late. Tampa Bay picked up outfielder Jose Siri from Houston and David Peralta from Arizona over the weekend to help out. The Rays lead the season series 5-3 and are 2-1 at Tropicana Field. The Over has cashed in each of the last four.
Pitchers: Blue Jays – Kevin Gausman (7-8, 3.30) | Rays – Drew Rasmussen (6-3, 3.17)
Gausman was rocked for five runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings last Wednesday in a 6-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. That broke a string of five straight starts of allowing three runs or less. This will be Gausman’s third start against Tampa Bay this season. He lasted just two innings on July 2 after getting hit by a line drive off his right ankle. Gausman allowed four runs (three earned) in seven innings while striking out eight in a 5-2 loss on May 13.
Rasmussen has limited the Blue Jays to just two earned runs over two starts this season but has just three strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. The righty has allowed three runs or less in five straight starts including last Wednesday at Baltimore. Rasmussen surrendered two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings of a 6-4 win.
The Rays offense is really struggling right now, hitting .237 in the last 10 games and scoring three runs or less in seven of those. The Jays are hot once again and will have a lot of fans behind them in St. Pete. I expect a strong outing from Gausman.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for today.
Pick: Blue Jays -140
