July 23 MLB best bets: Rays, Tigers and Cardinals lead a short slate
SportsLine’s model and CBS Sports experts split on Rays-Blue Jays as three MLB matchups anchor Thursday’s betting card.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
The July 23 MLB best bets board is built around a compact Thursday schedule, with CBS Sports spotlighting Rays-Blue Jays, Diamondbacks-Cardinals and Royals-Tigers as the key betting matchups.
The headline game starts in Toronto, where Tampa Bay entered Thursday at 59-42 and chasing a four-game sweep of the Blue Jays, according to CBS Sports. Toronto, listed at 46-56, had dropped seven of its previous eight games.
CBS Sports reported that the Rays had outscored the Blue Jays 23-5 through the first three games of the series. Tampa Bay also held a 2.5-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East after being swept by Boston to open the second half.
Toronto’s trouble has been the bats. CBS Sports described the Blue Jays as the lowest-scoring team in the majors with 402 runs, and said they had scored only 10 times in six games since the All-Star break.
What are the MLB best bets for July 23?
SportsLine’s Projection Model backed the Blue Jays money line at -106 for the Rays-Blue Jays game, saying Toronto won 51% of its simulations. CBS Sports expert Micah Roberts went the other way, picking the Rays money line at -110 and pointing to Tampa Bay’s chance to improve to 9-1 against Toronto this season.
For the Diamondbacks-Cardinals makeup game in St. Louis, SportsLine’s model selected Over 7.5 runs at +106. CBS Sports expert Eric Cohen picked Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy to go over 17.5 outs recorded at +100.
In Detroit, SportsLine’s model chose Royals +1.5 at -112 against the Tigers. CBS Sports expert Matt Severance picked Tigers right-hander Troy Melton to record the win at -108.
Rays vs. Blue Jays odds and matchup notes
CBS Sports listed the Rays as -111 favorites on the consensus money line against Toronto. The game was scheduled for 3:07 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre, with MLB.TV carrying the broadcast and Fubo listed as the streaming option.
The Blue Jays’ probable path to spoiling the sweep, according to CBS Sports, ran through Shane Bieber. The right-hander allowed seven runs in four innings at Seattle on July 4, but then gave up two runs over 10 2/3 innings across his next two starts.
Tampa Bay had gone 5-1 at Rogers Centre this season, CBS Sports reported. The only loss came in extra innings after Daulton Varsho hit a one-out grand slam in the 10th.
Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals and Royals vs. Tigers schedule
Arizona and St. Louis were scheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET at Busch Stadium in a makeup of a June 25 postponement. CBS Sports listed the Cardinals as -124 favorites over the Diamondbacks.
CBS Sports reported that five of Arizona’s six games since the All-Star break had finished with at least eight total runs. The Diamondbacks had also taken two of three from the Cardinals in St. Louis before the postponement and two of three at home the previous weekend.
The Royals-Tigers opener was set for 6:40 p.m. ET at Comerica Park, with MLB Network on TV and Fubo listed for streaming. CBS Sports listed Detroit as a -222 favorite.
Kansas City came in at 43-60 after sweeping the Giants and winning five of six since the All-Star break, according to CBS Sports. Detroit, listed at 48-54, had won all three home games against Kansas City in April, though CBS Sports noted three Royals losses in the season series were by one run.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.