Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays Prediction and Betting Pick. The 5-4 Toronto Blue Jays host the 5-4 Tampa Bay Rays in an AL East match up at the Rogers Center April 16, 2015, first pitch is scheduled for 7:07PM EST. The Rays are posted as the favorite at -120 while the total line is sitting at 8.5.

Wagering Odds

Moneyline: Rays -120 / Blue Jays -105
O/U Total: 8.5 runs

Pitching Match Up

Tampa Bay: Chris Archer (1-1, 2.13 ERA)

Toronto: Aaron Sanchez (0-1, 8.10 ERA)

In their last games: The Blue Jays beat the Rays 12-7 in Game 3 of this 4 game series.

The Toronto Blue Jays play host to the Tampa Bay Rays tonight at the Rogers Center. Tampa has its hopes pinned on starter Chris Archer who is 1-1 on the season and looking to expand on that with another win. Aaron Sanchez will take the hill for the Jays with a 0-1 record to date. The Rays open as the favorite road dog at -120 while the total line is posted at 8.5.

The Blue Jays are ranked No.4 in the league averaging 8.11 hits per game and 5.89 runs per game while the No.10 Rays are hitting 7.67 hits per game and scoring 4.44 runs. It appears statistically the Jays have the edge in both offensive stats and the win 12-7 in their last game but Archer’s impressive 9-1 road average is what the odds-makers are banking on.

Here are some additional handicapping angles to ponder:

The Rays are 5-2 in their last 7 games against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

The Rays are 9-1 in Archer’s last 10 road starts.

In Archer’s last 7 starts against the Blue Jays the total has gone Over 5 times.

Archer is 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA in 5 starts in Toronto.

In his first start of the season, which was the first of his career, Sanchez took the loss in a 7-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles where he gave up 3 earned runs in 3 innings.

This season the Blue Jays are 1-2 at home and the Rays are 4-2 on the road.

STRAIGHT UP / OVER/UNDER / RUN LINE RECORDS

Tampa Bay Rays: 5-4 SU / O/U 5-4 / Run Line W/L 7-2
Toronto Blue Jays: 5-4 SU / O/U 5-3 / Run Line W/L 6-3

Tampa Bay at Toronto Key Betting Trends

• TB is 4-1 in their last 5 road games.
• TB is 4-1 in their last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
• TB has an Under record of 6-2 in their last 8 games against a team with a winning record.
• TOR is 8-3 in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
• TOR is 35-17 in their last 52 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
• TOR has an Under record of 5-1 in their last home games.

Key Player Injuries

RAYS

[P] 04/04/2015 – Alex Colome 15-day DL (3/27) ( Pneumonia )
[1B] 04/09/2015 – James Loney 15-day DL (4/7) ( Oblique )
[C] 04/09/2015 – John Jaso 15-day DL (4/7) ( Wrist )
[P] 04/06/2015 – Alex Cobb 15-day DL (3/27) ( Forearm )
[P] 04/06/2015 – Drew Smyly 15-day DL (3/27) ( Shoulder )
[P] 04/06/2015 – Jake McGee 15-day DL (4/6) ( Elbow )
[P] 04/06/2015 – Matt Moore 60-day DL (4/6) ( Elbow )
[SS] 04/06/2015 – Nick Franklin 15-day DL (3/27) ( Oblique )

BLUE JAYS

[2B] 04/06/2015 – Maicer Izturis 15-day DL (3/27) ( Groin )
[P] 04/06/2015 – Marcus Stroman 60-day DL (4/6) ( Knee )
[RF] 04/06/2015 – Michael Saunders 15-day DL (3/27) ( Knee )

Free MLB Pick

Chris Archer owned the Jays until last season when they got to him for 5 runs on July 11th and then again on Sept 3rd for 6. Surprisingly both of those games came in Tampa Bay. Check out these numbers. In five career starts in Toronto the Rays’ right-hander has registered four quality starts pitching 29 1/3 innings allowing 6 runs. The Jays starter Aaron Sanchez was sharp in his initial start for 2015, but note that the start was his first career start and he should be focused tonight. He has limited back numbers against Tampa Bay players with Brandon Guyer the only the only Rays hitter to record a hit and the team overall is 1 for 8 against him.

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