Partner Content | Rays vs. Blue Jays Game 1 picks and odds: Fade offence with Manoah and Springs on the mound

With Alek Manoah on the mound, the Toronto Blue Jays look to get Tuesday’s doubleheader started off right against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The pregame narrative: Manoah has been exceptional in four consecutive starts, but he may find himself in a pitchers’ duel on Tuesday afternoon against Tampa lefty Jeffrey Springs.

Check out our Rays vs. Blue Jays picks for Game 1 of the doubleheader on September 13.

Odds as of 9:02 a.m. on 09/13/2022.

Rays vs. Blue Jays Game 1 picks

Best bet: Under 7.5 runs (+100)

Looking at this pitching matchup, it’s clear to see why the run total line is pretty low. But it’s also clear why we still like the under.

Manoah has been on a mission in recent outings, pitching six-plus innings and allowing one or fewer earned runs for four starts in a row. And each of his past five starts have seen a game total that fell under this line.

Toronto’s second-year stud also has excellent numbers against the current Rays lineup:

On the Rays’ side, Springs is coming off a pair of scoreless outings, and five of his past six starts have finished with a run total below eight.

Springs was pulled after three scoreless innings in his last start, likely due to workload management. He’s pitched 109.2 innings this year — his first as a starter — after tossing just 44.2 innings in 2021 (a career-high at the time). After Springs, reliever Yonny Chirinos entered for three scoreless innings of his own, and it’s possible the Rays deploy a similar tandem approach today.

Key stat: Seven of the 11 Blue Jays/Rays matchups this year have gone under this line, including a May 15 matchup between Manoah and Springs.

Quick picks

Under 0.5 runs, first inning (-129): Springs doesn’t have the best first-inning ERA in the world (4.50), but nearly half of his first-inning runs allowed came in a single game against the Red Sox last month. He’s kept opponents off the scoreboard in six of his past eight opening frames.

Manoah owns a 2.33 ERA in the first inning and has held opponents scoreless in eight of his past 11 opportunities.

Blue Jays -1.5 (+135): Toronto has only covered this run line in four of 11 matchups against Tampa Bay this year, so proceed with caution. Our argument in favour of this pick is that Manoah has been shoving lately, and his early-career returns against the Rays (1.47 ERA in 30.2 innings) are excellent.

Plus, if Springs is in a load management situation, that could give the Blue Jays a leg up on the mound at an early juncture.

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