Game Time: 7:07 pm ET, Monday, September 13th, 2021 

Venue: Rogers Centre, Ontario, Canada.  (finally back)

Where to Watch: Bally Sports Sun, SNET, MLBN (out of market), SNET-1, TVA Sports 

Opening Line:  Moneyline:  Rays + 105 - Blue Jays -141  O/U  10.5

Rays:  89-53 (1st place, AL East)

Blue Jays:  79-63 (3rd place, AL East)

They’ve done it!  The Blue Jays have risen to “tied for third” with the New York Yankees and are pressing on the Boston Red Sox.  This is the worst American League East matchup they could have run into though.  The Rays have handled business this entire 2021 MLB regular season. The Rays have won 8 of 13 head to head regular-season meetings against the Blue Jays 5 of 13.  The Rays could be the water that puts out the fire of the Blue Jays recent run to contender. Of course if the Blue Jays could find a way to sweep this three-games series, they would tie the head to head meetings and drown the Yankees behind them.  

It was a 2-0 Saturday sweep in MLB, as Larry's 'ASSAULT' on the moneyline and O/U number continues!   Get Larry Ness’s picks!  They’re available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.  Get off to a fast start and become an expert bettor! 

The Rays are 5-5 over their last ten games. Hitting 5 Overs, 4 Unders, and 1 Push.  They went 0-2 against the Boston Red Sox, 2-1 against the Minnesota Twins, 2-1 against the Boston Red Sox, 1-1 against the Detroit Tigers.  On Monday sept 6th pitcher Ryan Yarborough got the win against the Boston Red Sox in a dazzling 11-10 offensive display.  Tuesday night the Rays put up 12 runs again on the Red Sox in a 12-7 win.  The Rays are a team that can pour on the points.

The Blue Jays are 9-1 over their last ten games.  They are hot and shooting up in the standings.  They logged 5 Overs, 4 Unders, and 1 Push in that run.  They swept the Oakland Athletics 3-0, they SWEPT the New York Yankees 4-0, went 2-1 against the Baltimore Orioles.  The Blue Jays odds of overtaking the Red Sox for second place keep going up.  They are hoping the 2 win streak they have going turns into another 7 gamer like they had sept 3rd through 9th. 

The Rays are 1st in runs scored 769, 6th in home runs 197, and 12th in batting average .268.  They aren’t as dominant in the primary offensive stats as the Blue Jays… but they are ahead in RBIs, walks and stolen bases.  They get runners on base and they move them to home plate better than any team in the league.

 

The Blue Jays are 2nd in team batting average .266, 3rd in runs scored 741, 1st in home runs 227.  They aren’t shy about hitting the ball. 741 total runs on the season is only bested by the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays.  They are in good company. 

The Rays are 7th in team ERA 3.77, 8th in strikeouts, and 4th in WHIP 1.19.  They have a strong rotation.  They don’t have one guy as electric as Toronto’s Robbie Ray, but they have solid starters up and down the rotation.  Ryan Yarbrough, Shane McClanahan, and an assortment of solid bullpen guys.  

The Blue jays are 11th in team ERA 3.88, 11th in strikeouts, and 11th in WHIP.  They are strong but seemingly just outside of the top ten.  They will have to be managed perfectly against the Rays.  The offense can do it, but the pitchers will need their best stuff at the right times to power the defense. Ace Robbie Ray will get a game off the Rays… will Hyun Jin Ryu?... Will the bullpen hold up?

Our prediction for Monday, September 13th is…   Blue Jays 9 - Rays 5

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Tampa Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games.

Tampa Bay is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games.

Tampa Bay is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road.

Toronto is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games.

 

Rays:  Chris Archer SP, Out, 10 DayIL  *  Wander Franco SS,  Out, 10 Day IL

Blue Jays:  Anthony Kay SP, Out  *  Gabriel Moreno  C,  Day to Day

Rays:  Brandon Lowe,  in the last 7 days Brandon has 7 hits, 1 HR, and 5 RBI in 5 games.  The Rays will need his bat if just to match the number the Blue Jays offense will be putting up.

Blue Jays:  Bo Bichette,  the 23 year old SS is everywhere.  Hitting .292, 23 HR, and 87 RBI on the season and regularly turning double plates in the field.  He’s quick and hits for power.

“This was a really good performance across the board,”  -Rays manager Kevin Cash.  About the Saturday win over the Detroit Tigers.

"I don't believe what I just saw,...Honestly, what we did in the first game, I [wasn't] expecting in the second game. There's no way. That's what this team does. We didn't quit."  -Toronto Manager Charlie Montoya.  About the Blue Jays 11 runs in the 7th inning Saturday against the Orioles.

Rays:

R. Arozarena, LF

M. Margot, RF

N. Cruz, DH

Y. Diaz, 3B

J. Luplow, 1B

T. Walls, SS

J. Wendle, 2B

F. Mejia, C

B. Phillips, CF

L. Patino, SP

Blue Jays: 

B. Bichette, SS

M. Semien, 2B

V. Guerrero Jr., DH

T. Hernandez, RF

L. Gurriel Jr., LF

R. Grichuk, CF

D. Jansen, C

B. Valera, 3B

J. Lamb, 1B

S. Matz, SP

Rays:  

Batting average:  Wander Franco .285

Hits: Brandon Lowe  112

HR:  Brandon Lowe  33

Wins: Shane McClanahan  9

Saves:  Diego Castillo  14

ERA:  Tyler Glasnow 2.66

Blue Jays:

Batting average: Vladimir Guerrero JR  .319

Hits:  Vlad Guerrero JR  169

HR:   Vlad Guerrero JR 43

Wins:  Hyun Jin Ryu  13

Saves:  Jordan Romano  17

ERA:  Robbie Ray  2.69

Rays: Kevin Cash

Blue Jays: Charlie Montoya

Partly Cloudy,  73* for the high, Humidity at 65%.  Wind 7 mph.