Rays at Blue Jays
The Tampa Bay Rays are looking like a playoff contender as the mid-point of the season approaches and can post a seventh victory in eight games when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night. The Rays pounded out 16 hits Tuesday to open a six-game road trip with an 8-1 victory at Toronto as All-Star candidate Corey Dickerson went 4-for-5 with a homer to improve his average to .337.
Evan Longoria is 8-for-16 with six RBIs during a four-game hitting streak for Tampa Bay and Mallex Smith has hit safely in five straight (9-for-19) since taking over in center field for injured Kevin Kiermaier. Wednesday’s scheduled starter Jake Odorizzi has given up three runs over 13 innings in a pair of victories against the Blue Jays this season and Toronto counters with veteran lefty Francisco Liriano, who has struggled against Tampa Bay in 2017. The Blue Jays could not solve rookie right-hander Jacob Faria in the series opener after winning three of their previous four and need Troy Tulowitzki (2-for-20, last five games) along with Russell Martin (1-for-17, five games) to warm up. Justin Smoak is 9-for-20 during a five-game hitting streak for Toronto and teammate Josh Donaldson is 5-for-9 in the last two contests.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet One, TVAS (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (4-3, 3.59 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Francisco Liriano (3-2, 5.87)
Odorizzi bounced back from a poor performance in a loss at Seattle to yield three runs over 6 2/3 innings and earn the win against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. The former first-round selection, who has allowed at least one home run in eight consecutive starts, tied a season high with eight strikeouts in that outing. Blue Jays regulars Jose Bautista, Martin, Tulowitzki and Smoak are a combined 7-for-77 against Odorizzi.
Liriano makes his third start since returning from the disabled list earlier this month after he allowed five earned runs and 10 hits with 10 strikeouts in 10 innings through the first two June outings. The 33-year-old has posted a 6.97 ERA over his last five starts, but the Blue Jays have won each of them. Liriano, who boasts 99 career wins, was pounded for nine runs in nine innings over three meetings with the Rays this year and owns a 5.61 ERA in 13 career games (12 starts) against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Bautista is 5-for-39 with 16 strikeouts in the season series, but owns 31 homers in 147 career games against the Rays.
2. Tampa Bay OF Colby Rasmus, who was with the Blue Jays from 2011-2014, is 7-for-17 during a five-game hitting streak.
3. Toronto DH Kendrys Morales is 0-for-8 in the last two meetings, but boasts 10 RBIs in the 11 games against the Rays in 2017.