Rays @ Blue Jays

Who will WIN this matchup?

Tampa Bay Rays (10-3)

@ Toronto Blue Jays (4-9)

Starting Pitchers:

Stanek (TB): 0-0; 1.50 ERA

Thornton (TOR) 0-0; 1.69 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Tampa Bay Rays: 8-2

Toronto Blue Jays: 2-8

Current odds:

Tampa Bay Rays: (-140)

Toronto Blue Jays: (+130)

• The Tampa Bay Rays have won their first four series of the season for the first time in franchise history and hope to get off to a strong start in No. 5 when they visit the slumping Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Austin Meadows led a Tampa Bay offense that posted 24 runs during a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox to start the week, going 7-for-10 with a pair of homers and seven RBIs in his last two contests. “He’s got the ability to do everything well,” Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters of Meadows, who has recorded four homers and 13 RBIs overall. “He’s got a chance to be a pretty special player with this opportunity that he’s earned to get going here in the lineup and be a big part of our group.” Ryne Stanek will pitch an inning or two to open the game for Tampa Bay on Friday while Toronto counters with rookie Trent Thornton, who is looking for his first major-league win after two strong performances this season.

• The Blue Jays started the year with two wins in three games but are just 2-8 since after coughing up a five-run lead and then surrendering a pair in the bottom of the ninth inning to drop a 7-6 decision at Boston on Thursday. Freddy Galvis has been a bright spot for Toronto during its slide, going 11-for-22 with three homers and six RBIs while hitting safely in six consecutive contests to raise his batting average to .395.

• Stanek opens the game for the third time this season after allowing one hit and registering five strikeouts over three scoreless innings in the first two. The 27-year-old native of Kansas had not given up a run in six frames this season before surrendering one on two hits and a walk without retiring a batter Tuesday in Chicago. Rowdy Tellez is 1-for-2 with a homer versus Stanek, who permitted two runs and six hits over 10 innings (six starts) against Toronto last year.

• Thornton has given his team a chance to win in his first two major-league starts, tossing five scoreless innings against Detroit before limiting Cleveland to two runs over 5 2/3 frames last Friday. The 25-year-old from North Carolina, who is a former fifth-round draft pick of Houston, has struck out 15 batters and walked just two to start his career. Thornton posted a 9-8 record and 4.42 ERA with Triple-A Fresno last season before being acquired from the Astros in a trade for Aledmys Diaz.

• Toronto 1B-DH Justin Smoak, who belted a three-run homer on Thursday, recorded six shots and 14 RBIs in 19 games against Boston last year.

• Tampa Bay LF Tommy Pham hit his first two homers of the season in Wednesday’s 9-1 win and has reached base in 45 straight contests.

• The Rays won 13 of 19 meetings last year – going 6-4 at Toronto – after losing the season series 10-9 in 2017.