- Matchup: Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays
- Scheduled Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
- Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
- Broadcast: MLB.TV
- Betting Odds: Toronto (-144) Tampa Bay (+120)
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The Tampa Bay Rays (74-49) will take on the Toronto Blue Jays (61-65) at Tropicana Field this Wednesday. The moneyline features the Blue Jays at -144 while the Rays sit at +120. The over/under for the game is set at 8.5 runs, with Max Scherzer and Drew Rasmussen expected to start as pitchers.
The Blue Jays have totaled 195 doubles and hit 116 home runs this season. With a slugging percentage of .374, they have struck out 916 times against 346 walks. Averaging 3.9 runs per game, Toronto ranks last in the league. They have tallied 470 RBIs and 1,025 hits, maintaining a team batting average of .242 and scoring 492 runs with an on-base percentage of .304.
The Blue Jays have registered a team earned run average of 3.95 this season (ranking 11th in MLB), along with 1,099 strikeouts. They’ve allowed 131 home runs and 549 runs (17th in the league). Their pitching unit has walked 465 opposing batters, while their Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) stands at 3.96. Toronto has conceded 1,006 hits (8.1 per 9 innings) and given up 493 earned runs. Their strikeout-to-walk ratio sits at 2.36, accompanied by a WHIP of 1.31.
Blue Jays bullpen pitchers have entered with runners on base 137 times and faced high-leverage situations 163 times. With 83 holds this year, they rank 4th in the MLB. Their save percentage is an impressive 74.1% from 145 save opportunities, converting 43 saves while failing to secure 15. The relievers have inherited 191 runners, with 27.2% crossing the plate. The Blue Jays have used 467 relievers throughout the season.
On the defensive side, the Toronto Blue Jays have recorded 3,370 putouts, with 1,081 assists and 78 errors. Their fielding percentage stands at .983 (24th in MLB), having turned 85 double plays. They complete 69.7% of balls in play for outs in their 10,110 innings, ranking 15th in the league.
Max Scherzer has pitched a total of 3,004 innings and notched 3,520 strikeouts throughout his career. With a career ERA of 3.26 (1,089 earned runs allowed) and a WHIP of 1.089, he has allowed 2,476 hits (7.4 hits per 9 innings) along with 796 walks. Scherzer holds a career record of 222-122 and has faced 12,168 batters in Major League Baseball.
The Rays carry a team slugging percentage of .407, averaging 4.54 runs per game (14th in the league). They have hit 177 doubles, drawn 405 walks, and scored 559 runs. With 129 home runs this season, they also have 532 RBIs. The Rays have struck out 875 times (30th in the league), totaling 1,078 hits and achieving an on-base percentage of .331 with a batting average of .261.
The Tampa Bay pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.150 with a FIP of 4.05. They rank 5th in MLB for total hits allowed, with 946 against them. The Rays’ pitchers have conceded a total of 507 runs this season, maintaining a team ERA of 3.76 (459 earned runs). Their K/BB ratio stands at 8.20 (1,005 strikeouts versus 317 walks) and they have allowed 153 home runs, yielding 4.16 runs per 9 innings (7th best in baseball).
Tampa Bay relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 29.7% among 145 inherited runners. Their relievers have appeared in 122 high-leverage situations, with 101 cases involving base runners. In 154 save opportunities, the Rays have recorded 92 holds while experiencing 14 blown saves, leading to a 2nd-ranked save percentage of 77.4%, using a total of 393 bullpen pitchers this season.
The Rays have turned 83 double plays, achieving a fielding percentage of .983 (22nd in the majors). With 971 assists and 73 errors, they’ve accrued 3,294 putouts over the season. Their defensive efficiency rate stands at 72.0% over 9,882 innings, placing them 2nd in pro baseball.
In his professional career, Drew Rasmussen has allowed 467 hits while striking out 561 batters across 589 innings. With a career record of 42-22 and an ERA of 2.87, he permits 7.1 hits per nine innings and has given up 188 earned runs. His WHIP is 1.033 and FIP is 2.8, with a K/BB ratio of 3.95; he has faced 2,346 batters in the majors.
Who will secure the victory tonight in this MLB face-off against the spread or the moneyline?
Prediction: Choose Tampa Bay (+120)
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