Rays play the Blue Jays in first of 3-game series

Updated Sep. 22, 2023 4:21 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays (85-68, third in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (94-60, second in the AL East)

St. Petersburg, Florida; Friday, 6:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt (14-8, 3.78 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 166 strikeouts); Rays: Tyler Glasnow (9-6, 3.61 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 146 strikeouts)

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Rays -155, Blue Jays +130; over/under is 7 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays open a three-game series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Tampa Bay is 94-60 overall and 52-26 at home. The Rays have a 73-13 record in games when they out-hit their opponents.

Toronto is 85-68 overall and 44-34 in road games. Blue Jays hitters have a collective .328 on-base percentage, the eighth-best percentage in MLB play.

Friday's game is the eighth meeting between these teams this season. The Rays hold a 4-3 advantage in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Isaac Paredes leads the Rays with 29 home runs while slugging .491. Yandy Diaz is 15-for-40 with five doubles, a home run and five RBI over the past 10 games.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has 28 doubles, 24 home runs and 91 RBI for the Blue Jays. George Springer is 9-for-41 with a home run and two RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 6-4, .241 batting average, 3.93 ERA, outscored opponents by one run

Blue Jays: 5-5, .195 batting average, 4.45 ERA, outscored by 12 runs

INJURIES: Rays: Brandon Lowe: day-to-day (knee), Luke Raley: day-to-day (hand), Greg Jones: 60-Day IL (hamstring), Jose Siri: 10-Day IL (hand), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (forearm), Drew Rasmussen: 60-Day IL (flexor), Garrett Cleavinger: 60-Day IL (knee), Jeffrey Springs: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shane Baz: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Blue Jays: Yusei Kikuchi: day-to-day (trap muscle cramp), Brandon Belt: 10-Day IL (back), Danny Jansen: 10-Day IL (finger), Hagen Danner: 60-Day IL (oblique), Otto Lopez: 60-Day IL (oblique), Adam Cimber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.