MLB picks: Blue Jays vs. Rays, Mariners vs. A's

Here are our top two MLB selections for Tuesday night!

Leading off is our look at an AL East battle between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays. Then we’ll segue to an AL West showdown between the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland A’s.

Toronto Blue Jays (84-66) at Tampa Bay Rays (93-58), 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN

Starting pitching should have the upper hand early at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night as Alek Manoah and the Blue Jays visit Drew Rasmussen and the Rays.

Manoah took on this Tampa lineup just eight days ago and pitched eight masterful innings, striking out 10 while not allowing a single run. He’s 2-1 over three appearances against the Rays this year with a 0.96 ERA and a scant .109 opponent batting average.

Rasmussen is fresh off five shutout innings against the Blue Jays on Sept. 14. He’s been pitching the lights out since Tampa decided to make him a full time starter on Aug. 12, authoring a 1.33 ERA over his last 27 innings of work.

Totals bettors should factor out the bullpens in this one with the first five innings line favoring Under players. Toronto’s bullpen is a modest 16th by ERA over the last two weeks (3.68), while the Rays rank 24th in the same span (5.46).

MLB pick: Under 4.5 runs (first five innings)

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Seattle Mariners (81-69) at Oakland A’s (82-68), 9:40 p.m. ET

The Over looks like a wise wager as the Mariners visit the A’s this Tuesday night.

Marco Gonzales will toe the rubber for Seattle, sporting a 4.39 road ERA in 2021. He’ll take on an Oakland offense that’s plating 5.94 runs per game in the month of September. Shortstop Elvis Andrus has been a catalyst for the A’s, especially of late, as he has 11 hits in his last 19 at-bats (.579 average).

Paul Blackburn responds for Oakland, and he’ll attempt to reduce his inflated September ERA, which currently sits at 7.94. But this Mariners offense has plated at least four runs in seven of its last eight games, with first baseman Ty France – who has 10 hits in his last 21 at-bats (.476 average) – leading the charge.

Both bullpens have struggled over the last two weeks, with the A’s producing a 4.66 ERA, and the Mariners authoring a 5.93 ERA. They rank 21st and 26th in the majors, respectively, in that span.

MLB pick: Over