Blue Jays Favoured In Season Opener Versus Tampa Bay

Marcus Stroman draws the Opening Day assignment for the Blue Jays. (Photo credit: apardavila via Foter.com / CC BY)

Oddsmakers have made the Toronto Blue Jays small road favourites for their 2016 MLB season opener Sunday in Tampa Bay.

As of Friday morning, Pinnacle Sports was offering the best odds on the Jays to defeat the Rays, listing Toronto at -111 (meaning you have to risk $111 to win $100).

BetOnline wasn’t far behind Pinnacle, making the Jays -112 favourites, while Sports Interaction offered the Jays at -115.

The total (Over/Under) was set at 7 runs, with equal juice on each side.

Marcus Stroman will get the ball for Toronto, with Chris Archer answering the bell for the Rays. Stroman (15-6 with a 3.31 ERA in his major-league career) did not start against Tampa last year, but went 1-1 with a 3.73 ERA versus the Rays in 2 starts the previous season. Archer is 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA in 15 career starts against Toronto.

For up-to-the-minute odds on the Blue Jays’ season opener against Tampa, visit our Live MLB Odds page.

The Jays’ game against the Rays is 1 of 3 games scheduled for Opening Day. The Cardinals and Pirates will get the season started with a clash of NL Central rivals, and Sunday Night Baseball will feature a World Series rematch between the Royals and Mets.