The Blue Jays get a visit from the Tampa Bay Rays in baseball action on Friday, with the home side looking to send the visitors to the showers with a loss.

The Blue Jays will rely on Henderson Alvarez to turn in a quality outing on the mound in this one, while James Shields will be his counterpart for the Rays. Henderson Alvarez is 0-1 this season, and James Shields is 11-10.



View Tampa Bay vs Toronto Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
Baseball odds makers opened the Blue Jays as +130 moneyline underdogs in this matchup. Over under bettors saw the number open at 8.

Power Rankings:
This game puts the Blue Jays, most recently No. 6 in the American League Odds Shark MLB Power Rankings, up against the Rays, who rate an American League No. 8 in the latest survey.



How They Match Up:
The game also pits Toronto's No. 4-rated American League offense, averaging 4.7 runs per game, against a Rays defense that ranks No. 2 in the American League at 3.8 in runs allowed per game. The Blue Jays have averaged 8.7 hits per game so far, more than Rays batters have averaged on the year (8.3 hits per game).

Pitching and defensive stats are important baseball handicapping factors and Toronto has the American League's No. 11-ranked defense. In the other dugout, the Rays own the American League's No. 2 mark in runs allowed.

Tampa Bay was a 2-0 loser in its last match at home against the Tigers. They lost as -172 favorites, while the total score of 2 made winners of UNDER bettors. The Rays were shut out in their last start, struggling to get much going against the Detroit staff and losing 2-0 to the Tigers on Thursday at Tropicana Field.

Toronto lost its last outing, a 9-6 result against the Royals on August 25. Bettors who backed the Royals at +152 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (15) sent OVER bettors to the payout window. Toronto looks to rebound from a loss to the Royals, who beat them 9-6 on Thursday behind a start from Jeff Francis at Rogers Centre.


Tampa Bay Rays Trends:
When playing on Friday are 4-6
Before playing Toronto are 5-5
After playing Detroit are 5-5
After a loss are 6-4

Toronto Blue Jays Trends:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Tampa Bay are 5-5
After playing Kansas City are 5-5
After a loss are 7-3

A few Rays at Blue Jays trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games
Tampa Bay is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Toronto
Tampa Bay is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Tampa Bay
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games


Next up:
Tampa Bay at Toronto, Saturday, August 27