The American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays (75-49) are set to host their division rival Toronto Blue Jays (61-65) Tuesday night for the opener of a three-game series at Tropicana Field in Florida. The Rays have had the Blue Jays’ number this year, holding an 8-2 edge in the season series heading into their final meeting of the regular season.
The Rays not only sit atop the AL East, but they also enter Tuesday with the best record in the American League and the second-best record in MLB. Tampa Bay did just lose three of four to Baltimore but had won nine consecutive games prior to that.
The Blue Jays have continued to underwhelm following their trip to the World Series last year, but despite being four games below .500, they’ve won seven of their last 10 games. Toronto may be in last place in the AL East, but it is just a half-game out of a Wild Card spot with 36 games left to play.
Tuesday night’s pitching matchup should be a good one, as José Soriano is scheduled to make his third start for the Blue Jays since being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline, going up against All-Star right-hander Nick Martinez of the Rays. Soriano is 9-6 with a 3.16 ERA on the season and has posted a 1.69 ERA through his first two starts with Toronto, while Martinez is 12-3 with a 2.74 ERA across 23 starts. This matchup is also featured among our best NRFI bets today, with Soriano and Martinez setting up an intriguing first-inning betting opportunity.
Blue Jays vs. Rays Odds
The Rays are one of the top teams in baseball and are listed as home favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook for Tuesday night’s AL East showdown:
- Moneyline: Rays -130, Blue Jays +120
- Run Line: Rays -1.5 (+165), Blue Jays +1.5 (-175)
- Total (Runs): Over 7.5 (-105), Under 7.5 (-105)
Hard Rock Bet’s 10¢ Summer Sale is helping players get more value out of the MLB playoff push throughout August. Qualifying pregame Moneyline, Run Line, and Total markets feature tighter dime-line pricing with reduced vig automatically applied to eligible odds.
Blue Jays vs. Rays Predictions
The Rays have had the clear edge this season when these two teams have met, but the Blue Jays are fighting for their playoff lives and the chance to defend their AL pennant. Don’t miss your chance to get in on the baseball betting action, so head over to Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook and check out the Stats Hub to help make picks for the game like the one below:
Rays vs. Blue Jays Best Bet: Rays Moneyline (-130)
The Blue Jays lost their previous game in extra innings to the New York Yankees and have notably won nine games in a row following a loss, but it’s hard to go against the Rays in this matchup. We’ve already talked about the Rays having won eight of the 10 games these two teams have played against each other this year, and even with Tampa Bay coming off a four-game series loss to Baltimore, it won the finale on Monday and two of the three losses were by one run, including a 4-3 extra-inning loss on Saturday.
It’s also worth noting that Nick Martinez is 2-0 against Toronto this year and has allowed only two earned runs over 11 innings between the two starts.
- Rays vs. Blue Jays Moneyline Pick for Aug. 18: Rays (-130)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for TOR-TB
Junior Caminero is on a five-game homerless streak, but his 35 home runs this season are enough to make his home run prop the most-bet player prop heading into first pitch:
- Junior Caminero – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Chandler Simpson – Over 0.5 Hits
- Junior Caminero – Over 0.5 Hits
- Yandy Díaz – To Record 1+ Hits
- Alejandro Kirk – Over 0.5 Hits
Blue Jays vs. Rays Betting Splits
Here’s how the action is trending at Hard Rock Bet for Tuesday night’s series opener at The Trop:
- The Rays are attracting the majority of moneyline support with 81.8% of bets and 80.2% of the handle.
- Tampa Bay is also generating more run-line action with 63% of bets and 83.4% of the handle.
- The Over is bringing in 62.4% of bets, while the Under accounts for 70% of the handle.
Blue Jays vs. Rays Game Info
- 📍 Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
- 📅 Date: Tuesday, Aug. 18
- ⏰ First Pitch: 6:40 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: MLB.TV
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Blue Jays: José Soriano
- Rays: Nick Martinez
More Ways to Bet
One swing can cash your ticket, but until then, Florida players can keep things interesting with Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing, only on Hard Rock Bet. It’s another way to stay engaged between plate appearances.
Referenced odds are subject to change.
Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, FL, IL, IN, MI, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-833-PLAYWISE. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. In AZ, OH, & VA, call 1-800-MY-RESET.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1‑800‑GAMBLER (CO, IL, MI, NJ, TN)
