Preview: Rays set sights on series victory over Blue Jays as homestand comes to an end

Published Aug. 7, 2019 4:57 p.m. ET

TV: FOX Sports Sun

TIME: Pregame coverage begins at 12:30 p.m.

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Toronto Blue Jays (46-70, fourth in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (66-49, second in the AL East)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Blue Jays: Wilmer Font (3-2, 4.91 ERA)

Rays: Brendan McKay (2-1, 4.38 ERA)

LINE

Rays favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE

Tampa Bay will host Toronto in a matchup of division foes.

The Rays are 30-25 against AL East teams. The Tampa Bay pitching staff averages 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings, Charlie Morton leads them with a mark of 11.

The Blue Jays have gone 18-31 against division opponents. Toronto has a collective on-base percentage of .303, led by Justin Smoak with a mark of .350. The Rays won the last meeting 7-6. Diego Castillo earned his second victory and Austin Meadows went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs for Tampa Bay. Buddy Boshers took his second loss for Toronto.

TOP PERFORMERS

Meadows leads the Rays with 43 extra base hits and is batting .288. Willy Adames is 11-for-34 with a double, five home runs and nine RBIs over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. leads the Blue Jays with 18 home runs and has 45 RBIs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 17-for-40 with four doubles, three home runs and 15 RBIs over the last 10 games for Toronto.

LAST 10 GAMES

Rays: 8-2, .297 batting average, 4.26 ERA, outscored opponents by 17 runs

Blue Jays: 6-4, .284 batting average, 3.65 ERA, outscored opponents by 23 runs

Rays Injuries: Blake Snell: 10-day IL (elbow), Tyler Glasnow: 60-day IL (forearm), Yonny Chirinos: 10-day IL (finger), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Jose Alvarado: 10-day IL (oblique), Joey Wendle: 10-day IL (wrist), Brandon Lowe: 10-day IL (leg), Yandy Diaz: 10-day IL (foot).

Blue Jays Injuries: Ryan Tepera: 60-day IL (elbow), Matt Shoemaker: 60-day IL (knee), Clayton Richard: 10-day IL (lat), Elvis Luciano: 60-day IL (elbow), Nick Kingham: 10-day IL (oblique), Ken Giles: day-to-day (elbow), Clay Buchholz: 60-day IL (shoulder), Ryan Borucki: 10-day IL (elbow), Derek Fisher: day-to-day (face), Devon Travis: 60-day IL (knee), Luke Maile: 10-day IL (oblique).