Rays Have Edge in Game 1 After Manoah Scratch

Rays vs. Blue Jays, Game 1, 1:07 ET

I'll be the first to admit that this hasn't been my best week of betting for Outkick in 2022. It was bound to happen, but we haven't had a fully winning MLB day in about a week. There have been some pushes and some days where we haven't lost a full unit, but right now, it seems like everything that can go wrong, does. Still, complaining or being frustrated won't get us anywhere. Roll up the sleeves and get back to it.

I was wrong yesterday on the clubs playing to an over, it was much more of a playoff atmosphere. That's probably how these two games will be as they both fight for position in the wild card race. We turn to Jeffrey Springs for the start of Game 1 of the doubleheader between these two clubs. Springs may not go deep into games, but he has been very solid as a starter for the Rays. And, yes, I consider him a starter and not an opener. In his last two games, he has been very successful, allowing just five total hits over eight innings and no earned runs. He enjoyed a quality August, too, but stumbled a bit in the last start of the month where he allowed five earned over six innings to the Red Sox. Despite playing in the same division, he's only had to face the Blue Jays once this season, and he was very strong in that start. He went 4.2 scoreless innings and allowed just four hits. That game was at home, though where he has a 1.80 ERA. On the road, Springs has a 3.17 ERA. While still impressive, he does have about double the road runs to home runs allowed.

The Blue Jays stretched Alek Manoah - something that frustrated me quite a bit as I already had locked in a bet on this game and wrote a play. I was literally about to press publish when the play came off the board. I still have a chance it hits, but whatever, we move on. Now the Blue Jays are starting Julian Merryweather. This is his first "start" of the season, but I have to imagine this will be more of an opening situation and bullpen game. Considering this is the first game of a doubleheader, this could cause some issues. As in, if there is trouble, you can't instantly turn to the pen because you don't want to tire them too much for the next game. He has only lasted two innings twice in 23 appearances this year.

I think this is a game that favors the Rays. The scrambling from the Blue Jays and the solid pitching that Springs offers is the only angle I can look now. I originally had under 4.5 for the first five innings, but I'm taking the Rays on the moneyline through five innings at -110.

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