Following an MLB matchups series split on the road at Minnesota, the Toronto Blue Jays continue a nine-game away stretch at Camden Yards on Monday. The Orioles will play host — and these clubs will play one another six times over the next nine days.
Teams’ Previous Matchups Performance
Blue Jays Performance
Toronto (60-48) trails the New York Yankees by 9.5 games going into this one, which is a much easier gap to close than the one that the Bronx Bombers have been on the right side of for most of this season.
Having lost three of their last five, the Blue Jays will need to play better going forward if they are to catch up.
Orioles Performance
The Orioles (56-52) had a five-game winning streak broken in a loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. They’re just two games out of a wild card spot, and a few victories at home could go a long way in at least keeping Baltimore in that race.
Their bats haven’t been the most effective, however. They rank in the bottom third of the major leagues with a .236 team batting average.
Center fielder Cedric Mullins leads by hitting .260, while right fielder Anthony Santander has 19 home runs and 59 RBIs.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays Odds
MLB odds today favor the guests in this one. Toronto is -1.5 on the run line at +106, while the Orioles are -128 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Blue Jays are -154 and Baltimore a +130 underdog. The total has been set at 9.5 runs, with the over being -106 and the under -114 at the time of this writing.
Blue Jays Lineup
The Blue Jays boast the best hitting lineup in the bigs, as they’re swinging for a .264 collective batting average.
They have the third-most RBIs in MLB and rank in the top six in terms of home runs and total runs scored.
Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. paces the order with a .312 batting average and Alejandro Kirk with a .383 on-base percentage. First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has 23 homers, 68 runs driven in, and 119 total hits.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays Betting Preview
Jordan Lyles Analysis
Starting on the mound for the hosts will be 31-year-old right-hander Jordan Lyles, who is 8-8 with a 4.40 ERA over 22 outings. The Orioles have done fairly well with him on the hill as of late, winning five of his last six starts.
In each of those victories, Lyles went at least five innings and never allowed more than three runs. Against Texas Tuesday, he pitched for 6.1 frames, giving up seven hits and only one earned run. He also fanned seven batters.
Yusei Kikuchi Analysis
On the other side, it will be southpaw Yusei Kikuchi, the owner of a 4-5 record, a 4.86 ERA, and a 1.47 WHIP.
The Blue Jays’ results when he’s been throwing have been a mixed bag recently, as they’ve alternated wins and losses since mid-June.
Blue Jays’ Pattern
If that pattern is to hold, however, it bodes well for Toronto. Kikuchi’s last outing — against Tampa on Wednesday — ended up being a loss for the Blue Jays. It wasn’t his finest performance, but an average one, at worst.
He went four innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs. The team has also fallen short against Baltimore, Oakland, and Milwaukee over that same span.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays Picks and Predictions
Now that we’ve gone over the Blue Jays vs. Orioles odds, let’s go ahead and make some MLB picks.
If you’re a believer in recent trends, it’s a smart idea to go with Toronto. They have a fantastic offense and a pitcher that has shown to be able to lead his side to victory at least once out of two times over the past month and a half.
However, Baltimore seems to have been playing some really good baseball, even after one of its best players — Trey Mancini — was shipped off to Houston. Pick the Orioles to cover the spread, at least.
MLB Pick: Orioles +1.5 (-130)
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