Tampa Bay (95-64) at Toronto (65-94)
When: Friday, September 27, 2019
Where: Rogers Centre,
Toronto, Ontario
Time: 7:07 ET | TV: FS Sun, TVA
Opening Odds: Tampa Bay -191/9
All the Tampa Bay Rays have to do is win their final three games in Toronto, and they’ll be in the American League wild card game next week. It sounds easy, but actually doing it is another story. The entire MLB postseason is set except the battle for the AL’s two wild card spots and it boils down to Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and Oakland heading into the weekend. The A’s are in the driver’s seat with a half-game lead over second place Tampa and are two clear of Cleveland prior to Thursday night’s action. The Rays are coming off a successful homestand where they took five of six from Boston and the New York Yankees and will play a Toronto team that has used more rookies than any other team in the majors. The Blue Jays will end the season just short of 100 losses, but they’ve won three home series in a row after taking two of three from Baltimore earlier this week, but are just 4-12 against the Rays. One of the future pieces for this organization is second baseman Cavan Biggio, who is currently on a 26-game on-base streak. Tampa Bay’s Austin Meadows is batting .402 with eight HRs, 19 RBI and 23 runs scored in the month of September.
Pitchers: Rays – Tyler Glasnow (6-1, 1.92 ERA) | Blue Jays – T.J. Zeuch (1-1, 4.58)
Tyler Glasnow will make his fourth start since missing nearly four months with a right forearm strain and hasn’t missed a beat. He’s only been allowed to throw about 50 pitches in his first three outings, but hasn’t surrendered a run in each of his last two starts covering six innings against the Angels and Red Sox. Glasnow hasn’t fared well against the Blue Jays in his career, going 0-2 with a 7.58 ERA in five starts.
The Blue Jays are hoping Zeuch will be a big piece of the rotation for years to come and they didn’t do him any favors by letting him start his first two big league games against the Yankees and Red Sox. The 21st overall pick in the 2016 draft fared pretty well against the Yankees, throwing 70 pitches over four innings of a 7-2 setback. Zeuch allowed a pair of runs and four hits with six strikeouts and will see the Rays for the first time.
There’s a lot of pressure on the Rays this weekend and Glasnow has not performed well in his career against the Jays. Toronto is gathering some momentum (7-3 last 10) for next season and would love to play spoiler here. I’ll take a shot with the home dog.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Friday. He is 133-94 +2518 units on the season after a 2-0 run!
Pick: Blue Jays +178
BETTING TRENDS:
Rays are 5-0 in their last 5 Friday games.
Rays are 7-1 in their last 8 during game 1 of a series.
Rays are 5-1 in their last 6 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Rays are 28-9 in their last 37 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Rays are 21-7 in their last 28 games following a win.
Rays are 21-7 in their last 28 games on astroturf.
Rays are 20-7 in their last 27 vs. American League East.
Rays are 7-3 in their last 10 games following an off day.
Rays are 36-16 in their last 52 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
Rays are 36-16 in their last 52 overall.
Rays are 48-22 in their last 70 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Rays are 36-17 in their last 53 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Rays are 76-36 in their last 112 vs. a team with a losing record.
Rays are 5-0 in Glasnow’s last 5 road starts.
Rays are 4-0 in Glasnow’s last 4 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
Rays are 4-0 in Glasnow’s last 4 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Rays are 4-0 in Glasnow’s last 4 starts with 5 days of rest.
Rays are 5-0 in Glasnow’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
Rays are 5-1 in Glasnow’s last 6 starts.
Rays are 4-1 in Glasnow’s last 5 starts vs. American League East.
Blue Jays are 5-0 in their last 5 during game 1 of a series.
Blue Jays are 4-1 in their last 5 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Blue Jays are 7-2 in their last 9 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last 10 vs. American League East.
Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last 10 overall.
Blue Jays are 25-52 in their last 77 vs. a team with a winning record.
Blue Jays are 16-35 in their last 51 games following a win.
Blue Jays are 23-51 in their last 74 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Blue Jays are 0-5 in their last 5 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Rays last 5 games following an off day.
Over is 4-1 in Rays last 5 road games.
Over is 4-1-1 in Rays last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 6-2-1 in Rays last 9 overall.
Over is 6-2 in Rays last 8 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 6-2 in Rays last 8 Friday games.
Over is 5-2-1 in Rays last 8 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Over is 5-2 in Rays last 7 during game 1 of a series.
Under is 3-0-1 in Glasnow’s last 4 starts with 5 days of rest.
Under is 3-0-1 in Glasnow’s last 4 starts following an outing of less than 4 innings in his last appearance.
Under is 2-0-2 in Glasnow’s last 4 starts during game 1 of a series.
Under is 3-0-1 in Glasnow’s last 4 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 5-1-1 in Glasnow’s last 7 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
Under is 5-1 in Glasnow’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
Under is 5-1-1 in Glasnow’s last 7 road starts.
Under is 4-1-2 in Glasnow’s last 7 starts vs. American League East.
Under is 13-4-4 in Glasnow’s last 21 starts overall.
Under is 3-1-2 in Glasnow’s last 6 starts on astroturf.
Over is 3-0-1 in Blue Jays last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 8-1-1 in Blue Jays last 10 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 5-1-1 in Blue Jays last 7 on astroturf.
Over is 5-1-1 in Blue Jays last 7 home games.
Over is 4-1-1 in Blue Jays last 6 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 9-3-1 in Blue Jays last 13 overall.
Over is 6-2 in Blue Jays last 8 games following a win.
Over is 9-3-1 in Blue Jays last 13 vs. American League East.
Over is 14-6-1 in Blue Jays last 21 during game 1 of a series.
Rays are 26-10 in the last 36 meetings.
Rays are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Toronto.
Rays are 1-4 in Glasnow’s last 5 starts vs. Blue Jays.
