A streak nobody in Toronto wants to extend
Tampa Bay close their regular-season series with Toronto on Thursday afternoon in St. Petersburg, and the Rays arrive holding almost every number that matters. They sit at 76-50, the best record in the American League. They have won nine of 12 against the Blue Jays this year. They have taken this season series nine years running.
The three-game set has split so far. Toronto opened with a 10-5 win on Tuesday. Tampa Bay answered 7-6 on Wednesday. A win Thursday hands the Rays a tenth consecutive season series over a division rival that keeps rebuilding to catch them.
Toronto need the game for different reasons. They trail the Minnesota Twins by a single game for the third and final wild card, and they have won eight of their past 12 despite Wednesday’s defeat. The margin in that race leaves no room to donate a series finale.
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Seymour keeps starting, and it keeps working
Ian Seymour takes the ball for Tampa Bay, his fourth start in a row after spending most of the season in relief. The left-hander has come out of the bullpen in 29 of his 39 outings, yet he is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA across three August starts and 9-3 with a 4.11 ERA overall.
His last outing produced nine strikeouts over six innings against Baltimore, three runs on six hits, and no decision in a 4-3 loss in 10 innings. Kevin Cash liked the process more than the result. “He competed really well and mixed his pitches well,” the Tampa Bay manager said.
Thursday marks Seymour’s sixth look at Toronto this season. He has faced them five times out of the bullpen for a total of five innings, going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA and a save.
Bieber has one recent argument
Shane Bieber counters for Toronto carrying a 4.99 ERA, the worst mark of a career that once produced a Cy Young Award. The 31-year-old has already started more games this year than in his previous two seasons combined, which counts for something after the injuries.
He gave the Blue Jays six quality innings on Friday, beating the Yankees 3-1 on one run and four hits with five strikeouts. “He used all of his pitches well, and the breaking ball was really good,” John Schneider said.
Bieber also owns this matchup historically. He is 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA in eight career starts against Tampa Bay, and he outpitched Seymour on July 23, throwing seven innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 Toronto win.
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