Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 5/23/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Friday, May 23, 2025

Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Toronto (-132) Tampa Bay (+110)

The Toronto Blue Jays (24-24) are hitting the road to George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday where they will take on the Tampa Bay Rays (23-26). The odds on this game have the Blue Jays at -132 while the Rays are coming in at +110. The total has been set at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Eric Lauer and Drew Rasmussen.

The Blue Jays have hit 83 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 44 baseballs out of the park. Toronto has a slugging percentage of .384 and have been rung up 357 times, while taking a walk on 152 occasions. As a team, the Toronto Blue Jays are knocking in 4.1 runs per game, which ranks them 21st in baseball. They have accrued 189 RBI's and 402 base knocks on the year, while their average at the plate sits at .250. They have a total of 196 runs while holding a team OBP of .318.

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The Blue Jays have compiled a team earned run average of 4.13 on the year (21st in the league), and they have struck out 442 batters. Blue Jays pitchers have surrendered 68 home runs and 207 runs in total (16th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 140 hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.22 as a team this year. Toronto has allowed 384 base hits (8.1 per 9 innings) as well as 197 earned runs. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.16 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.22.

The Blue Jays have dispatched 162 relievers to the mound this year. The relief pitchers have inherited 72 runners on the year with 20.8% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. They have earned 15 saves so far this year and have blown 9 out of their 24 save opportunities. The Blue Jays bullpen have compiled a save rate of 62.5% and have come into the game in 51 save situations. The bullpen have notched 27 holds on the year (20th in the league). Blue Jays relief pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 53 times and also have had 43 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Blue Jays have turned 70.5% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 3,867 innings, which has them ranked 11th in baseball. The Toronto Blue Jays have a total of 1,289 putouts this season, in addition to 372 assists and 23 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .986 which has them sitting 14th in professional baseball, and they have turned 32 double plays.

Lauer has taken the ball for 608 innings and is sitting with 581 strikeouts so far in his MLB career. Lauer (37-37 win-loss mark in his career) holds a FIP of 4.20 while he has faced 2,621 opposing hitters in the majors. His earned run average is 4.26 (288 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.356. He has conceded 592 hits (8.8 hits per 9 innings) with 233 walks.

Tampa Bay has knocked in 44 home runs this year as well as 185 runs batted in. They have 68 doubles, while taking a walk 150 times and scoring 193 runs. The Tampa Bay Rays have tallied a team on-base percentage of .306 in addition to a team batting average of .241 for the year. The Rays hold a slugging % of .367 and they have an average of 3.94 runs per outing (24th in MLB). They have been rung up on 415 occasions (12th in the league) and are sitting with 395 base hits.

The Rays hold a team WHIP of 1.216 in addition to having a FIP of 4.48 as a squad over the course of the season. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 7.80 (381 strikeouts against 137 bases on balls). They come in at 14th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 396. They have allowed 70 homers and they concede 4.07 runs per 9 innings (13th in MLB). The Tampa Bay pitching staff have conceded 198 runs over the course of the season while having a team ERA of 3.88 (189 earned runs yielded).

Tampa Bay relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 41.7% of 36 inherited runners. Their relievers have come in 51 times in high leverage situations and on 24 occasions with runners on base. With 43 save situations, the Rays have earned 25 holds in addition to 6 blown saves. They rank 10th in the league with a save percentage of 66.7%, and they have dispatched 157 bullpen pitchers to the mound on the season. Tampa Bay has had relief pitchers enter the contest in 18 save opportunities and they have recorded 12 saves.

Out of their 3,948 innings played, the Rays hold a defensive efficiency of 71.8% (6th in the majors). The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 55 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .988 (7th in pro baseball). The Rays have accrued 463 assists, 21 errors and have earned 1,316 putouts over the course of the season.

Rasmussen (22-16 win-loss record in his career) has a 2.96 earned run average while surrendering 7.4 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 3.71 and he has faced 1,435 opposing hitters during his pro baseball career. He has conceded a total of 117 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.078 and being the owner of a FIP of 2.9. In his career, Rasmussen has allowed 292 base hits while tallying 341 K's in 356 innings pitched.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Toronto (-132)

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