Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays Predictions, Picks and MLB Preview – April 3, 2016

The reigning American League East champions Toronto Blue Jays begin their defense of their division title this Sunday, when they travel to Florida for a showdown with the Tampa Bay Rays. This game features two of the most promising young aces in the game today in Toronto’s Marcus Stroman and Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer. For more baseball, you can also read our preview of Mets vs. Royals.

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Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview

Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

When: Sunday, April 3, 2016, 4:00 PM ET

Line: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays– view all MLB lines

TV Broadcast: ESPN

Betting on the Toronto Blue Jays (0-0)

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Everything begins for the Blue Jays again this coming Sunday, when they send the now healthy Marcus Stroman to the mound for Game 1 of a three-game series with the Rays.

Stroman made just four appearances in the 2015 regular season because of an ACL injury, 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA and 0.96 WHIP across four starts. He returned in the postseason, making three starts with a 4.19 ERA. With David Price now suiting up for Boston, Stroman has finally copped the starring role in the Blue Jays’ rotation that finished last season 12th in ERA (3.96) but with a notably higher FIP (4.28).

Toronto, however, is still going to be defined by its offense regardless of how its pitching staff performs this season. The Blue Jays were a terror at the plate last season, when they led the majors in home runs (232), runs (891), slugging percentage (.457) and on-base percentage (.797)

Josh Donaldson paced the Blue Jays’ offense in 2015, and he’ll be teaming up again with Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion to drive and score most of Toronto’s runs. The trio combined for 120 homers and 937 RBIs last season.

Justin Smoak, meanwhile, isn’t much of a hitter compared to those powerful mashers, but he’s .316 career batting average against Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer is the best among all Blue Jays with at least 15 at-bats opposite the Rays’ right-hander.

Toronto is 7-3 in its last 10 games against the Rays.

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Betting on the Tampa Bay Rays (0-0)

There haven’t been lots of changes for the Rays over the offseason, but they’ve always remained competitive despite the lack of established stars in their lineup.  Take for example their starting rotation that was able to transform Chris Archer from a relative unknown into one of the best young pitchers in the game today.

Archer will be on the mound this Sunday against a no-joke lineup of the Blue Jays. That being said, Archer has proven he can handle Toronto’s menacing hitters so far in his young career. Archer, who had a 12-13 record to go with a 3.23 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 2015, has held the current Toronto lineup to only .174 career batting average against him. Furthermore, Donaldson, Bautista, and Encarnacion are only 12-for-86 (.139) combined against Archer. If Archer could neutralize the three again this Sunday, that’ll be a big plus for Tampa Bay, which doesn’t have the firepower to match Toronto’s offense. Tampa Bay had a .245 BA at home in 2015, third worst in the majors.

Tampa Bay was just 25th last season in the majors in runs (644), but was 13th in batting average (.252) and 14th in slugging percentage (.406).

Logan Forsythe (.281/.359/.444 in 2015) and Evan Longoria (.270/.328/.435) will continue to carry the bulk of Tampa Bay’s offense with some help from newcomer Corey Dickerson, who hit .304 with 10 home runs for Colorado last season.

Tampa Bay is 6-4 in its last 10 home games against the Blue Jays.

Writer’s Prediction

Toronto wins, 4-3.

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