Blue Jays bring 1-0 series lead over Rays into game 2
Tampa Bay Rays (77-83, fourth in the AL East) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (92-68, second in the AL East)
Toronto; Saturday, 3:07 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Joe Boyle (1-3, 4.40 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 53 strikeouts); Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage (0-0, 5.00 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 11 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Blue Jays -160, Rays +134; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Blue Jays host the Tampa Bay Rays with a 1-0 series lead.
Toronto has a 92-68 record overall and a 52-27 record at home. Blue Jays hitters have a collective .424 slugging percentage to rank eighth in MLB.
Tampa Bay is 77-83 overall and 36-43 in road games. The Rays are 56-16 in games when they out-hit their opponents.
Saturday's game is the 12th time these teams match up this season. The Rays have a 7-4 advantage in the season series.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ernie Clement has 34 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 48 RBIs for the Blue Jays. George Springer is 13 for 40 with three doubles and two home runs over the past 10 games.
Junior Caminero leads the Rays with 73 extra base hits (28 doubles and 45 home runs). Brandon Lowe is 10 for 42 with two doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jays: 4-6, .188 batting average, 5.44 ERA, outscored by 23 runs
Rays: 4-6, .258 batting average, 3.93 ERA, outscored by four runs
INJURIES: Blue Jays: Jose Berrios: 15-Day IL (elbow), Ty France: 10-Day IL (oblique), Chris Bassitt: 15-Day IL (back), Bo Bichette: 10-Day IL (knee), Robinson Pina: 60-Day IL (elbow), Nick Sandlin: 60-Day IL (elbow), Yimi Garcia: 60-Day IL (ankle), Bowden Francis: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan Burr: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Angel Bastardo: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Rays: Everson Pereira: 10-Day IL (back), Taylor Walls: 60-Day IL (groin), Jonny Deluca: 60-Day IL (hamstring), Brian Van Belle: 60-Day IL (elbow), Mason Englert: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Stuart Fairchild: 60-Day IL (oblique), Manuel Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (forearm), Hunter Bigge: 60-Day IL (lat), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (tricep), Alex Faedo: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Nathan Lavender: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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