Blue Jays vs. Rays May 13 Betting: Rasmussen, Rays to extend Jays’ blues

One of the most important MLB series this weekend is in the Sunshine State, as the Tampa Bay Rays welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to Tropicana Field for three games.

Neither AL East rival enters this series on a happy note. The Blue Jays make the trip to St. Pete with only two wins in their last nine games, while the Rays just dropped two of three on the road against the Los Angeles Angels.

With the New York Yankees already 4.5 games up in the AL East with less than a quarter of the season in the books, both teams are in catch-up mode. The winner of this series may well not make up any ground on the Yankees, but staying well within striking distance, even at this early point of the season, is a must.

In tonight’s series opener, the Jays will turn to Kevin Gausman, who is off to an excellent start with his new team, while the Rays will turn to Drew Rasmussen, who has put up very good numbers in his short time as a starting pitcher.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays May 13 Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Toronto Blue Jays (17-15, 3rd in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (19-13, 2nd in the AL East)
• Venue & Location: Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg, Florida)
• Date: Friday, May 13, 2022
• Time: 7:10 p.m. Eastern Time
• How to Watch Today’s Blue Jays vs. Rays Game: Bally Sports Sun (Rays), MLB Extra Innings

Blue Jays vs. Rays Probable Starting Pitching Matchup for Today

• Toronto Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman (2022: 6 starts, 3-1 W-L, 2.13 ERA)
• Tampa Bay Rays: Drew Rasmussen (2022: 6 starts, 3-1 W-L, 2.89 ERA)

Today’s Blue Jays vs. Rays Betting Odds

Odds are via BetOnline. This article may also include odds from our other top reviewed and recommended sportsbooks.

Moneyline

• Toronto Blue Jays -126
• Tampa Bay Rays +108

Over/Under

• OVER 6.5 (-122)
• UNDER 6.5 (+100)

Run Line

• Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (+134)
• Tampa Bay Rays +1.5 (-162)

Rays Seek Continued Rewards with Rasmussen

In the previous five seasons, the Rays finished in the top ten in MLB in team ERA, including fourth last season.

Thus far this season, they rank only 16th, even though there isn’t much separating last year’s team ERA (3.67) from this year’s team ERA (3.75). If not for the success of Rasmussen and earl AL Cy Young Award candidate Shane McClanahan (2-2, 2.52 ERA, tied for the MLB lead in strikeouts with 58), they would be even further down the list.

Since entering the rotation last August, Rasmussen has been pretty stingy, and the Rays have benefitted. In 14 starts (65 IP), he has allowed just 15 earned runs, compiling a 2.08 ERA. And in those 14 starts, the Rays have an 11-3 record, including a 5-1 record in his six 2022 starts.

This is the first time all season that the Rays are an underdog at home. They are only 3-4 as an underdog this season, while the Blue Jays are 4-3 as a road favorite.

However, in recent seasons, few teams have been as good as the Rays have been as a dog at home. Dating back to the 2018 season, only two teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers (100%) and Atlanta Braves (60.0%), have better winning percentages than the Rays (55.7%) in this spot.

And for what it’s worth, the Dodgers hardly count here, as they have played (and won) all of one game as a home dog over the last four-plus seasons, whereas the Braves have logged 60 games (36 wins, 24 losses) and the Rays 70 (39 wins, 31 losses).

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays May 13 Prediction and Best Bets

Blue Jays vs. Rays Prediction: Rays to win

Blue Jays vs. Rays Best Bets: Rays ML (+110 at Bovada Sportsbook) and OVER 7 (-122 at BetOnline)

Though the Blue Jays do have an advantage with regards to the pitching matchup, it is rather interesting to see the Blue Jays as the favorite in this matchup, given how rough things have been for them recently.

That just means even better value with the home team. Look for their success with Rasmussen on the mound to continue tonight against Toronto, who will lose a fifth straight time overall, the fifth straight road game, and for the eighth time in ten games.

Also, with tonight’s total, the value is on the over, despite the pitching matchup. There have been at least seven total runs in each of Toronto’s last seven road games, and there have been seven total runs in 11 of Tampa Bay’s 16 home games and 21 of their 32 games overall this season.

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