Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Interstat) — The Toronto Blue Jays will look to complete a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night at George Steinbrenner Field, riding a wave of momentum as they push toward the postseason.
The Blue Jays (89-62) have won five straight and 11 of their last 14 games to solidify their playoff positioning. They have taken the first two games of this series in dramatic fashion, including a 6-5 victory on Tuesday. George Springer led the offense in that win, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs, while relievers Jeff Hoffman and Eric Lauer combined for two scoreless innings of work.
Conversely, the Rays (73-78) have dropped five of their last seven and are playing out the string of a disappointing season. Despite the team’s recent struggles, Brandon Lowe provided a bright spot in Tuesday’s loss, hitting a home run and driving in four runs.
The season series between the AL East rivals has been a tale of two stretches. The Rays dominated the early meetings, winning four of five in May, including a 13-0 rout on May 25. However, the Blue Jays have seized control in this critical September set.
Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-2 victory for Toronto, and its ELO rating system gives the Blue Jays a 54.9% probability to win. Betting markets also favor the visitors, installing Toronto as a -1.5 run favorite with an over/under of 8.5.
Following Wednesday’s contest, the teams will meet again for one final series in Toronto next weekend. For now, the Blue Jays aim to continue their hot streak before heading to Kansas City, while the Rays will prepare to host the Boston Red Sox.