Blue Jays vs. Rays Prediction, Odds and Props for Aug. 18: Tampa Bay Prevails

The Blue Jays had Monday off to get ready for their big series on the road facing the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Check out this Blue Jays vs. Rays prediction to get all the full game info, starting pitching matchup, and the latest odds as well as value player prop picks.

While the Blue Jays (61-66) are coming off a loss, they had won five of their previous six games to claw their way back into the playoff picture. They are still in the basement of the AL East, but are only a half-game out of the last AL Wild Card.

The Rays (75-49) have the best record in the AL and have a six-game lead over the second place New York Yankees in the AL East. They narrowly avoided a sweep in their last series, and before that they had won nine in a row.

Canadian sportsbooks have the Rays as the favorite in the series opener at -144 with the Blue Jays at +119 and the total sitting at 7.5 runs.

DeLuca Helps Rays Avoid Sweep 

Johnny DeLuca had a pinch-hit two-run single in the seventh inning to help the Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-6 and avoid the sweep in the four-game series. Yandy Díaz, Ryan Vilade and Jorge Mateo all went yard for Tampa Bay, and the team banged out 12 hits.

This season, the Rays rank 14th in runs scored and seventh in team ERA.

Tampa has a top-heavy lineup, as the three players with the most at-bats in Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, and Jonathan Aranda are all batting at least .276 with at least 18 home runs and 70 RBIs.

Caminero (.276, 35 home runs, 79 RBIs) ranks third in the Majors in home runs and has two dingers and eight RBIs over the last seven games. Chandler Simpson (.309, 0 home runs, 25 RBIs) ranks fourth in baseball in batting average and is swinging a hot bat, hitting .444 in August.

Rays’ Starter for Series Opener 

Nick Martinez (12-3, 2.74 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) goes for Tampa Bay in Game 1 of this division series and they have won nine of his last 10 starts. While he has given up at least four runs in two of his last three starts, he has not given up more than one run in three of his last five outings. The Rays have won both of his starts against the Blue Jays, where he gave up only one run in each. Martinez was an All-Star this season, and in 138 innings of work he has struck out 78 batters and walked only 20.

Is the Third Time the Charm? 

The Blue Jays have won eight of 10 games against the Rays this season, and the only two losses were when Martinez got the starting nod.

Toronto couldn't finish off the sweep in their last series, losing to the New York Yankees 4-3 in 10 innings in their last game after winning the previous two.

While the Blue Jays rank second to last in baseball in team ERA, they rank 11th in team ERA and only gave up six runs in their last series.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.263, 7 home runs, 46 RBIs) is out for this game on the 7-day concussion IL.

Ernie Clement (.281, 9 home runs, 43 RBIs) leads the club in batting average, and while he has four RBIs in the last six games, he is only batting .200 this month. Kazuma Okamoto (.227, 24 home runs, 71 RBIs) leads the team in home runs and RBIs and is slumping batting .204 this month with no home runs and only two RBIs.

Blue Jays’ Starter for Series Opener 

Jose Soriano (9-6, 3.16 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) goes for the Jays, who have won both of his starts, only giving up three runs in 10 2/3 innings, since being traded from the Los Angeles Angels. He faced the Rays once this season while with the Angels, pitching five scoreless innings. Soriano has logged 133 2/3 innings this season striking out 134 and walking 62.

Blue Jays vs. Rays Prediction 

Rays ML Betway, -144

While Martinez gave up four runs in his last start, he pitched a complete game and he has pitched well facing the Blue Jays in two starts. Soriano tossed five scoreless innings in his lone start against the Rays, and both starters will be solid in this game. While Toronto has the better bullpen ERA, Tampa Bay has the better lineup, and they will get some clutch hits and take the first game of this division series.

Player Prop Bets

Here are some value player prop bets at Betway Sportsbook:

• Nick Martinez 3+ strikeouts (-102) – While not really a strikeout pitcher, in Martinez’s last four starts he has struck out four batters once and five batters twice.
• Chandler Simpson Over 1.5 hits (+150) – Simpson has six multi-hit games in the last eight games.
• Yandy Diaz to hit a home run (+700) – Great value here for Diaz to go yard, as he has two home runs over the last six games.