MLB Baseball
2025-09-15 - Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : MLB Baseball
Monday 15th August 2025 - Scheduled 7:35pm
12:35am (British Time)
Preview
Two weeks remain in the Major League Baseball regular season and teams are continuing to jockey for places in the Playoffs.
The top of the American League East has been extremely competitive this season and there is still every chance that three of those teams will be making up the six American League Playoff places.
The winner of the Division is also likely to end up with the Number 1 Seed in the League and it is the Toronto Blue Jays (87-62) who continue to lead the way. They have a 4 game lead over the New York Yankees and with thirteen games left and the tie-breaker over their closest challenger, the Blue Jays likely have a number written within the dugout walls that will secure the Division crown.
Overlooking the Tampa Bay Rays (73-76) would be a mistake, even if the Rays have lost seven of their last nine games and almost certainly had Playoff hopes extinguished. In six regular season games between the American League East rivals in 2025, Tampa Bay have won five and that may give them some belief at the beginning of a four game set.
However, the Blue Jays will point out that they have been a very different team in the second half of the regular season and have not played Tampa Bay since May.
The road team will be giving the ball to Trey Yesavage who is considered their top prospect and who will be making his Major League debut on the mound. The performances in the Minor League has been very impressive and there is a lot of faith not only in what Yesavage can bring on Monday, but what he may be able to offer through the remainder of the 2025 campaign.
Trey Yesavage himself is not exuding any nerves and it may be a good batting lineup to face after recent issues Tampa Bay have been having at the plate.
Tampa Bay have not announced a starter for the opening game of this series, but the reports indicate Joe Boyle will be returning to the Major Leagues. The pitcher has a 1-3 record with a 5.40 ERA in ten appearances for the Rays this season and six of those have been in starts.
Joe Boyle last pitched in mid-August and that was the culmination of a poor three game run on the mound. He had a 0-2 record from those three starts and a truly awful 14.46 ERA, while Boyle was only able to complete 9 Innings.
This is going to be the first time Joe Boyle has faced the Toronto Blue Jays if he indeed does get the call up.
Prediction
There are some doubts about the way Tampa Bay will approach this opening game of the series, but it looks a tough one for them anyway.
Trey Yesavage will provide some uncertainty of his own in his first Major League start, but the Blue Jays are fully confident in their top prospect.
He is going to be backed by a batting lineup that has considerable depth and Toronto can begin to turn the season record around against this American League East rival, while also pushing that much closer to ending the regular season with the Number 1 Seed in the League.
The Pick :
Tampa Bay Rays 3-6 Toronto Blue Jays
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Toronto Blue Jays to Win at -125 with EveryGame Sportsbook
