Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Vegas Play of the Day: Blue Jays at Rays

Blue Jays 2013

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Toronto Blue Jays’ R.A. Dickey runs onto the field for a workout at baseball spring training, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in Dunedin, Fla.

The time has come for baseball to take over this space.

Expect to see a lot of America’s pastime in the Play of the Day, which uses odds from the South Point sports book and features a starting bankroll of $10,000, over the next several months. We’ll hope it leaves us in a better overall spot than basketball.

Toronto Blue Jays plus-150 at Tampa Bay Rays: $300 to win $450

The simplistic strategy of taking one of my bet-on teams for the season worked in the first baseball play of the year. There’s no reason to avoid going back to the approach for pick No. 2.

The Blue Jays might be the most undervalued team in the American League to start the year. They’ve got a lineup as strong as any of their AL East division rivals, even with shortstop Jose Reyes returning to his typical home on the disabled list after a single at-bat.

Tampa Bay held Toronto to two runs and seven hits on Opening Day, but that’s forgivable with one of the best pitchers in the world like David Price on the mound. Alex Cobb, today’s starter, had a breakout campaign in 2013 but is still a relief to the Blue Jays in comparison to Price.

Price’s opposing starting pitcher, R.A. Dickey, has struggled with his command for more than a year. Toronto’s second starter Drew Hutchison, on the other hand, plowed over lineups in spring training and could re-establish himself as a star in the making after missing a year due to Tommy John’s surgery.

The Rays are a buzz team early in the season, but the Jays aren’t as far behind as the clamor indicates.

Standings: Bern (17-11, $11,390), Keefer (14-14, $9,267), Brewer (10-15-3, $6,660)

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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