The Tampa Bay Rays snapped their 5-game skid last night, cruising to an easy 7-1 victory over the host Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays still hold the top spot in the AL East with a 1.5 game lead over the New York Yankees while the Jays sit in the cellar at 11.5 games back. Tonight in the second game of their 4-game set at Rogers Centre the Rays are likely to give the nod to Drew Rasmussen. Rasmussen has decent numbers, at 7-5 with a respectable 3.26 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.95. The Jays are expected to send Kevin Gausman to the hill. Gausman’s numbers are nothing to write home about. He is 4-8 with a 4.33 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and in his career against the Rays he is 8-10 with a 4.26 ERA. The Jays are in a tailspin with just one win in their last six tries and Tampa has dominated Toronto this year, winning six of the seven meetings.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS