Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays Prediction, 5/17/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays

Date: Friday, May 17, 2024

Location: Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON

TV: Sportsnet

The Tampa Bay Rays (22-22) are on their way to Rogers Centre on Friday where they will play the Toronto Blue Jays (19-23). The pitchers who are expected to start will be Tyler Alexander and Chris Bassitt.

The Rays have accumulated 62 doubles as a unit and have hit 37 balls out of the stadium. Tampa Bay has a slugging % of .367 and have been rung up 398 times, while taking a walk on 135 occasions. As a team, the Tampa Bay Rays are recording 4.1 runs per game, which has them sitting at 19th in baseball. They have earned 164 runs batted in and 357 base knocks for the year, while their batting average is .242. They have tallied 180 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .313.

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The Rays hold a team ERA of 4.31 on the campaign (22nd in the league), and their staff has rung up 384 batters. Rays pitchers have given up 58 home runs and also 210 total runs (24th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 132 opposing batters and their FIP comes in at 4.22 as a squad for the season. Tampa Bay has conceded 373 hits (8.5 per 9 innings) as well as 190 earned runs. Their K/BB ratio is 2.91 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.27.

The Rays have dispatched 141 relievers to the hill so far this season. The relief pitchers have inherited 48 base runners for the year and 22.9% of those players crossed home plate. They have tallied 13 saves over the course of the season and have blown 9 of their 22 chances to save the game. The Rays relievers have a save rate of 59.1% and has entered the game in 55 save situations. The relief pitchers are sitting with 32 holds over the course of the season (5th in MLB). Rays pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 34 times in addition to having 63 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Rays have transformed 69.8% of balls in play into outs in their 3,570 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 17th in baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays have accumulated 1,190 putouts on the year, as well as 334 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .984 which has them ranked 12th in professional baseball, and they have turned 30 double plays.

Alexander has taken the hill for 381 innings and has 306 strikeouts in his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.49 (190 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.294. He has allowed 407 base knocks (9.6 hits per nine innings) and has had 86 walks. Alexander (12-25 mark in his career) holds a FIP of 4.67 while he has gone up against 1,619 hitters in the major leagues.

Toronto has a total of 35 home runs this year as well as 142 RBIs. They have recorded 66 two-baggers, while taking a walk 146 times as well as putting up 152 runs. The Toronto Blue Jays have earned an OBP of .309 and a batting average of .229 this season. The Blue Jays hold a slugging percentage of .359 and they earn 3.62 runs per contest (28th in baseball). They have been rung up on 305 occasions (29th in MLB) and have totaled 312 base hits.

The Blue Jays have a team WHIP of 1.347 in addition to having a FIP of 4.47 as a pitching staff on the campaign. Their K/BB ratio sits at 8.40 (338 strikeouts vs 132 free passes). They rank 18th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 357. They have conceded 56 dingers and they concede 4.93 runs per 9 innings (25th in the league). The Toronto pitching staff have allowed 199 runs this season while holding an ERA of 4.49 (181 earned runs surrendered).

Sitting with 41 save situations, the Blue Jays have amassed 26 holds in addition to 4 blown saves. Toronto has had relief pitchers take the mound in 15 save chances and they have converted 11 saves. Their relievers have come in 28 times in high leverage situations and on 49 occasions with runners on base. Toronto bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 26.4% out of their 72 inherited runners. They are ranked 7th in MLB with a save percentage of 73.3%, and they have sent 139 bullpen pitchers to the mound this year.

The Toronto Blue Jays have turned 31 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .984 (17th in MLB). The Blue Jays have racked up 352 assists, 24 errors and have earned a total of 1,089 putouts on the season. In 3,267 innings on the diamond, the Blue Jays hold a defensive efficiency of 69.0% (22nd in pro baseball).

In his career, Bassitt has allowed 876 hits while he has accumulated 897 strikeouts in 980 innings pitched. Bassitt (65-47 career mark) has earned a 3.55 ERA while conceding 8.0 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed a total of 387 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.207 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.9. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.92 and he has gone up against 4,104 opposing batters so far in his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay

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