The set-up: The Tampa Bay Rays are the only team in the American League East with a losing record, checking in at 60-82 (second-worst in the AL) plus owns MLB's second-worst moneyline mark at minus-$2723. However, when the last-place Rays visit Toronto for a three-game series Monday night, they come to Rogers Centre with a 9-7 record this season against the Blue Jays. Toronto has gone just 2-7 in September by losing three consecutive series, on the road against the Rays and the Yankees plus at home over the weekend to the Red Sox.

The pitching matchup: Jake Odorizzi (9-6, 3.86 ERA) will take the mound for Tampa Bay and Francisco Liriano (7-12, 5.27 ERA) gets the nod for Toronto. Odorizzi lost for the first time since the All-Star break in his most recent outing, allowing seven runs on six hits and three walks over four innings against Baltimore. He had allowed just 14 total runs in his previous nine starts while completing at least six innings in eight of them. Odosizzi is 6-1 in his 10 post-break starts with the Rays going 7-3. The Blue Jays will start Liriano, who replaces R.A. Dickey in the rotation. Liriano's last two outings have come out of the bullpen and he will be making his first start since August 26. He's 1-1 with a 4.38 ERA in six outings (four starts / team is 2-2) since he was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 1.

The pick: Odorizzi comes in off an awful start but has been an excellent starter for Tampa Bay since the break but the Rays are just 24-42 on the road in 2016. The Jays open the new week badly needing to get back on track after slumping to begin the month of September. A players-only meeting led to a 3-2 win over Boston on Saturday but despite plating eight runs on Sunday, Toronto's pitching staff allowed 11 runs on 11 hits. How Toronto plays in this series, just may determine the team's October schedule. The Blue Jays are an 8* play.