Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, Preview and Odds - 08/18/2026

Game Time: 6:40 pm ET, Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Venue:  Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL

Where to Watch:  MLB TV

DraftKings:  Moneyline odds:  Blue Jays +124, Rays -149; Over/Under:  7.5 runs

Bet365:  Moneyline odds:  Blue Jays +125, Rays -150; Over/Under:  7.5 runs

BetMGM:  Moneyline odds:  Blue Jays +125, Rays -150; Over/Under:  7.5 runs

Toronto Blue Jays:  61-65 (5th place, AL East)

Tampa Bay Rays:  74-49 (1st place, AL East)

Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Matt Fargo is on a HOT STREAK in MLB on a 12-6 MLB RUN for +$10,580 PROFIT! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.

Toronto Blue Jays:  7-3 last 10

Tampa Bay Rays:  7-3 last 10

The Blue Jays are entering this series off a loss and won their 3-game series against the New York Yankees 2-1 in their last series. They enter this game with a 61-65 record overall and have a road record of 28-32. This is the series opener of a 3-game series with the Rays on Tuesday and they have Monday off as a day of rest. Their offense ranks 30th in the MLB with a .678 OPS. Dylan Cease was their starting pitcher on Sunday while José Soriano is making his start in this game on Tuesday. He is 9-6 with a 3.16 ERA this season. His team won their last 4 straight games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season appearance, he allowed 1 ER, 1 HR, and 2 BB with 4 SO on 4 hits through 6 IP against the Boston Red Sox.

The Rays completed the sweep in their 3-game series against the Athletics 3-0. They enter this game with a 74-49 record overall and have a home record of 41-21. This is the 1st game of a 3-game series with the Blue Jays on Tuesday with the series finale of their series against the Baltimore Orioles still to be played on Monday. The Rays lost the series opener on Friday, lost the 2nd game on Saturday, and lost the 3rd game on Sunday. Their offense ranks 6th in the MLB with a .738 OPS. Shane McClanahan is their starting pitcher on Monday while Nick Martinez is making his start in this game on Tuesday. He is 12-3 with a 2.74 ERA this season. His team won their last 2 straight games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season start, he allowed 4 earned runs, 1 homer, and 0 walks with 5 strikeouts on 8 hits through 9 innings pitched against the Athletics.

The current betting odds have the Rays listed as a favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Rays have looked great in their games this season with their 74-49 record overall which has them right at the top of the AL East with one of the best records in MLB. They have looked great in their own ballpark too with their 41-21 home record this season. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays haven't looked great in their games this season with their 61-65 record overall which has them right at the bottom of the AL East. They haven't been a great road team either with their 28-32 road record this year. The Blue Jays just took their last series against the Yankees and they have been starting to roll now, going 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Rays didn't look great over the weekend with a bad showing against the Orioles, but they have still been really hot lately too, now 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Blue Jays are in a really tight race in the AL for that last Wild Card spot, but they have been stumbling in this race for most of the season and they aren't going to have the better pitching matchup here. The Blue Jays are going with Soriano in this one and he has looked good this season. He is 9-6 with a 3.16 ERA and he has looked a lot better lately. He only gave up 1 earned run in his last start and the team has won 4 games in a row now with him starting, but he did have some trouble when he was on the Angels and the Blue Jays haven't had a good bullpen to back him up with either. The Rays are going with Martinez in this one and he has looked great this season. He is 12-3 with a 2.74 ERA and he has been their ace this year. He did give up 4 earned runs in his last start, but that hasn't been a common theme for him this year and the team has still been having lots of success with him, winning 2 games in a row now with him starting. Martinez is going to bounce back with a better start at home where the Rays have looked like a different team this season, and they also have some great arms in their bullpen to help him out. The best way to place a bet here is on the Rays to win this game. 

Blue Jays Rays Prediction:  Our MLB Pick for Tuesday, August 18, 2026 (6:40 pm ET start time) is Rays 2 Blue Jays 0.

Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks, best bets, and expert baseball picks today.  And if you enjoyed this Toronto Blue Jays Tampa Bay Rays prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily MLB projections and previews.

Toronto Blue Jays: 142-145 (-15.1 units) on the moneyline vs. an AL team with an on base percentage .330 or worse. 97-101 (-20.7 units) on the moneyline vs. an AL team with a slugging percentage .410 or worse on the season. 71-87 (-18.2 units) on the moneyline vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.300 or better. 12-5 UNDER on the road vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.300 or better.

Tampa Bay Rays: 119-88 (+10.2 units) on the moneyline when playing against a team with a losing record. 95-74 (+8 units) on the moneyline vs. AL teams scoring 4.4 or less runs/game on the season. 166-153 (+12.4 units) on the moneyline vs. good fielding teams - averaging 0.6 errors/game or less. 21-14 UNDER vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.300 or better.

Toronto Blue Jays:  V. Guerrero Jr. (1B) Seven Day IL - Head. J. Bloss (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. J. Taillon (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Forearm. L. Urias (2B) Ten Day IL - Quadriceps. T. Yesavage (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Knee. P. Corbin (SP) Sixty Day IL - Shoulder. L. Sosa (2B) Sixty Day IL - Wrist. S. Arrighetti (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Foot. A. Barger (RF) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. J. Clase (LF) Ten Day IL - Foot. J. Mantiply (RP) Sixty Day IL - Knee. J. Berrios (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. C. Ponce (SP) Sixty Day IL - Knee. A. Santander (RF) Sixty Day IL - Shoulder. Y. Garcia (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. B. Francis (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow.

Tampa Bay Rays:  V. Mesa Jr. (RF) Day To Day - Hamstring. G. Jax (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Elbow. B. Williamson (2B) Ten Day IL - Hamstring. J. Fraley (RF) Sixty Day IL - Groin. S. McClanahan (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Back. C. Sulser (RP) Fifteen Day IL - Back. J. Heasley (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. G. Lux (LF) Sixty Day IL - Shoulder. R. Pepiot (SP) Sixty Day IL - Hip. E. Uceta (RP) Sixty Day IL - Shoulder. M. Rodriguez (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow.

“That’s a tough 17-game grind [in 17 days] for everyone. To come out 11-6 is really impressive with the travel and the teams we’re facing. I always say you want to keep stacking series wins. Today’s a tough one because there were some chances to finish off a sweep, which is hard against any team. We just need to continue to play as hard as we’re playing.” - John Schneider after his team’s loss against the Yankees in their game on Sunday. 

“He did a nice job for us. Just felt that, in that moment, it was a really big at-bat. He had done his job. Very tough call, and certainly not happy or pleased with the way it worked out for him. You hate to see that happen.” - Kevin Cash after his team’s loss against the Orioles in their game on Sunday. 

Brett Bateman (L) RF

Charles McAdoo (R) 1B

Alejandro Kirk (R) C

George Springer (R) DH

Ernie Clement (R) 2B

Kazuma Okamoto (R) 3B

Daz Cameron (R) LF

Andrés Giménez (L) SS

Myles Straw (R) CF

Yandy Díaz (R) DH

Jonathan Aranda (L) 1B

Junior Caminero (R) 3B

Ryan Vilade (R) RF

Chandler Simpson (L) LF

Jonny DeLuca (R) CF

Jorge Mateo (R) 2B

Nick Fortes (R) C

Taylor Walls (S) SS

Batting Average:  Eloy Jiménez (.290)

Hits:  Ernie Clement (132)

Home Runs:  Kazuma Okamoto (24)

RBI:  Kazuma Okamoto (71)

Stolen Bases:  Andrés Giménez (17)

Wins:  Dylan Cease (7)

Saves:  Louis Varland (28)

ERA:  Tanner Andrews (0.00)

Batting Average:  Chandler Simpson (.309)

Hits:  Yandy Díaz (141)

Home Runs:  Junior Caminero (35)

RBI:  Junior Caminero (79)

Stolen Bases:  Chandler Simpson (35)

Wins:  Nick Martinez (12)

Saves:  Bryan Baker (34)

ERA:  Tyler Wells (0.00)

Managers:

Toronto Blue Jays: John Schneider (5th season)

Tampa Bay Rays: Kevin Cash (12th season)