Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 9/23/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Odds/Point Spread: Toronto (-112) Tampa Bay (-108)

The Tampa Bay Rays (94-60) are welcoming the Toronto Blue Jays (85-68) at Tropicana Field on Saturday. The moneyline on this contest has the Blue Jays at -112 while the Rays open at -108. The over/under comes in at 8. The pitchers taking the mound will be Hyun Jin Ryu and Zack Littell.

The Blue Jays have accounted for 274 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 175 baseballs out of the park. Toronto has a slugging rate of .414 and have struck out 1,232 times, while being walked on 519 occasions. As a squad, the Toronto Blue Jays are scoring 4.5 runs per outing, which has them at 16th in baseball. They have accumulated 659 runs batted in and 1,341 base knocks for the season, and their batting average is sitting at .256. They have accumulated 695 runs while holding a team OBP of .328.

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The Blue Jays have an ERA of 3.72 so far this season (2nd in the league), and the staff has struck out 1,437 batters. Blue Jays pitchers have conceded 185 long balls and also 626 total runs (5th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 463 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.06 as a squad so far this season. Toronto has allowed 1,235 base knocks (8.1 per 9 innings) and 566 earned runs. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.10 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.24.

The Blue Jays have dispatched 518 relief pitchers to the mound this season. The relievers have inherited 230 base runners for the year with 23.0% of them ended up scoring. They have compiled 50 saves over the course of the season and have missed out on 17 out of their 67 save opportunities. The Blue Jays relief pitchers have a save percentage of 74.6% and has come into the game in 169 save situations. The relief pitchers have recorded 102 holds on the campaign (2nd in the league). Blue Jays relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 162 times in addition to having 183 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Blue Jays have turned 69.6% of balls in play into outs out of 12,330 innings on the field, ranking them 11th in baseball. The Toronto Blue Jays have amassed 4,110 putouts on the year, as well as 1,229 assists and 70 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .987 which has them sitting 8th in baseball, and they have twisted 120 double plays.

Ryu (78-48 mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 3.49 and he has faced 4,299 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has given up 999 base knocks (8.6 hits per 9 innings) and has had 233 free passes. His ERA is 3.24 (377 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.176. Ryu has taken the hill for 1,048 innings and has 931 K's in his pro baseball career.

The Tampa Bay Rays have tallied an OBP of .330 in addition to a batting average of .257 on the year. They have been rung up on 1,351 occasions (11th in MLB) and have accounted for 1,339 base knocks. Tampa Bay has a total of 217 long balls so far this season to go along with 777 runs batted in. The Rays hold a team slugging % of .442 and they average 5.25 runs per contest (4th in the league). They have put up 266 doubles, while getting a free base 493 times as well as putting up 809 runs.

The Tampa Bay pitching staff have surrendered 613 runs this season while having an ERA of 3.79 (577 earned runs surrendered). They have conceded 166 HR's and they allow 4.03 runs per 9 innings (1st in MLB). The Rays have a WHIP of 1.164 and have a FIP of 3.78 as a squad for the season. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 9.40 (1,428 strikeouts vs 414 bases on balls). They rank 2nd in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,180.

Tampa Bay has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 74 save chances and they have walked away with 44 saves. They are ranked 20th in MLB with a save percentage of 59.5%, and they have sent 504 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 153 times in high leverage situations in addition to 114 occasions with runners on. Tampa Bay relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 27.2% out of their 169 inherited base runners. Sitting with 149 save situations, the Rays have compiled 74 holds and 30 blown saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 111 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .988 (5th in baseball). The Rays have racked up 1,336 assists, 64 errors and are sitting with 4,110 putouts so far this year. In 12,330 innings on the field, the Rays have earned a efficiency on defense of 70.6% (3rd in pro baseball).

Littell (16-11 record in his career) is the owner of a 4.10 ERA while giving up 8.9 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.16 and he has gone up against 1,062 opposing hitters thus far in his career. He has surrendered a total of 115 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.266 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.5. Thus far in his career, Littell has given up 251 base knocks and he has 218 strikeouts in 252 innings pitched.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-108)

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