Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays Prediction, 7/2/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays

Date: Friday, July 2, 2021

Location: Sahlen Field in Buffalo, NY

TV: Sportsnet

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-125) Toronto (+100)

Ryan Yarbrough and the Tampa Bay Rays (47-34, 2nd in AL East) head to Sahlen Field on Friday where they'll meet the Toronto Blue Jays (41-37, 3rd in AL East). The Blue Jays open this matchup at +100 while the Rays are coming in at -125. The total has been set at 10. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Ryan Yarbrough and Alek Manoah.

As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are compiling 4.9 runs per game, which has them at 8th in baseball. They have earned 397 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .316. The Rays have hit 137 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 99 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accumulated 375 runs batted in and 636 base knocks this season, while their average at the plate is .230. Tampa Bay has a slugging percentage of .393 and have been rung up 837 times, while drawing a walk on 315 occasions.

The Rays have a team earned run average of 3.54 for the season (7th in MLB), and their staff has rung up 767 batters. They have walked 226 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 3.71 as a team on the campaign. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.39 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.14. Rays pitchers have surrendered 91 home runs and also 322 total runs (9th in the league).

Rays relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on 66 times in addition to having 109 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have earned 50 holds this year (6th in baseball). The Rays relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 67.6% and stepped onto the hill in 86 save situations. They have compiled 23 saves for the year and have missed out on 11 out of their 34 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 80 runners on the campaign and 30.0% of them crossed home plate. The Rays have dispatched 262 relief pitchers to the mound for the year.

The Rays have turned 71.1% of baseballs in play into outs out of 6,615 innings, which ranks them 5th in MLB. The Tampa Bay Rays have a total of 2,205 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 738 assists and 34 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .989 which puts them in 2nd in MLB, and they have twisted 517 double plays.

Yarbrough has taken the ball for 431 innings and has racked up 359 strikeouts so far in his MLB career. Yarbrough (32-19 win-loss mark in his career) has a FIP of 3.95 while he has faced 1,788 batters during his time in the majors. His earned run average is 4.05 (194 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.160. He has given up 403 base knocks (8.4 hits per nine innings) with 97 free passes.

The Blue Jays hold a team SLG% of .453 and they average 5.17 runs per outing (2nd in baseball). They have 134 two-baggers, while taking a walk 242 times and notching 403 runs. Toronto has recorded 117 home runs so far this season as well as 383 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 642 occasions (27th in MLB) and have recorded 712 hits. The Toronto Blue Jays are sitting with an on-base percentage of .331 as well as a batting average of .266 for the season.

The Blue Jays hold a team WHIP of 1.261 in addition to having a FIP of 4.34 as a team on the season. They are currently ranked 13th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 611. The Toronto pitching staff have conceded 334 runs on the year while holding a team ERA of 3.98 (301 earned runs conceded). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.90 (716 strikeouts vs 247 bases on balls). They have conceded 107 dingers and they yield 4.42 runs per 9 innings (14th in MLB).

Sitting with 67 save situations, the Blue Jays have earned 39 holds in addition to 10 blown saves. Toronto has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 25 save chances and they have walked away with 15 saves. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 90 times in high leverage situations and also on 90 occasions with base runners. Toronto relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 31.0% out of their 126 inherited base runners. They are currently ranked 18th in the league holding a save percentage of 60.0%, and they have dispatched 268 bullpen pitchers to the hill this season.

The Toronto Blue Jays have turned 65 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .982 (26th in baseball). The Blue Jays have accrued 714 assists, 51 errors and have earned 2,042 putouts during this campaign. Out of their 6,126 innings played, the Blue Jays have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 69.8% (14th in baseball).

So far in his career, Manoah has surrendered 22 base hits while he has accumulated 33 K's in 29 innings. Manoah (1-0 career record) holds a 3.34 ERA while surrendering 6.7 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 11 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.112 and being the owner of a FIP of 5.3. His K/BB ratio is 3.00 and he has gone up against 123 batters in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-125)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here