Hot lines: Friday's best MLB bets

Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays (-130, 9)

Rays manager Joe Maddon set a lofty goal for his starting rotation before the season - 1,000 total innings. The Rays are on target, but that's no necesasrily a good thing.

Starting pitching has carried the Rays this season bu signs of fatigue are starting to show. Only one starter has lasted more than six innings in their last eight games.

"Our pitching has carried us all year, if you ask me," Rays outfielder B.J. Upton said. "They set expectations for themselves in spring training, and so far, they've lived up to them."

James Shields takes the hill today after recently becoming the team's all-time wins leader, but he was hammered by Baltimore in his last outing and lasted just 4 1/3 innings.

Toronto counters with young lefty Brett Cecil, whom the Jays have carefully paced this season. The Rays are batting just .196 against lefties in their last 10 games.

Pick: Blue Jays

Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets (210, 7.5)

The Phillies relied on pitching to get them a tough stretch of injuries and a long slump in hitting, but the team is starting to get healthy and hot at the right time.

The Phillies have won 11 of their last 14 games overall and 12 of their last 14 on the road to overtake the Atlanta Braves for the lead in the NL East. And their just getting started.

"I definitely feel like we've got a good run in us," Phillies amanager Charlie Manuel said. "I feel like we can play better than we have at any time this year because we have all of our players back. We're more solid. We're more equipped to do that."

A resurgent offense deserves much of the credit. They are batting .288 and averaging almost six runs per game over their last 10 outings.

Shane Victorinia (.444), Chase Utley (.368) and Ryan Howard (.316 with five homers) have increased their production during that stretch and should keep swinging a hot stick against Mets' reliever Jenrry Mejia, who is making his first start of the season.

Phillies starter Roy Halladay has been struggling lately, allowing 10 earned runs and seven homers in his last three starts, but should get enough run support in this one.

Pick: Over