In the finale of a three-game divisional series, the Boston Red Sox will aim to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays, who have won the first two by a combined 12-5 score.
These clubs will play once more this regular season, that set taking place north of the border as September runs into October. Let’s dive deeper into this one to uncover the Blue Jays vs. Red Sox best bet.
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays (67-55) come into this one winner of six of their last seven outings. The only loss during that stretch came as they sought to sweep the rival New York Yankees on the road.
They trail the Bronx Bombers in the American League East by eight games but currently hold the Junior Circuit’s second Wild Card spot.
They have a one-game advantage on Seattle, who’s holding onto a playoff spot, as well. Teams on the outside looking in include:
- Baltimore
- Minnesota
- Chicago White Sox
Red Sox and Blue Jays Previous Performance
Boston (60-64) has a losing record at home but still has a fighting chance at sneaking into the postseason. The Red Sox are seven games behind Seattle in the Wild Card race.
In their grouping, they idle in last place. Each of the four teams ahead of them is at least five games above .500.
Toronto escaped Wednesday night’s clash in extra innings, with designated hitter George Springer being the one to drive across the winning tally.
He had three hits, including a double on Red Sox reliever Ryan Braiser’s first offering. That knock allowed automatic runner Jackie Bradley Jr. to come around and seal the deal.
In that contest, Boston took an early lead when first baseman Franchy Cordero belted a two-run homer to left field.
A shortened Gap for the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays shortened the gap in the fourth frame, then Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s single in the next inning plated second baseman Whit Merrifield to knot things at 2-2.
Springer and backstop Alejandro Kirk accounted for three hits and an RBI each, as their side notched ten knocks in total.
Left fielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Reese McGuire, and Cordero all had multi-hit efforts for the home team. Adam Cimber registered the victory for the guests, pitching one scoreless inning, and Jordan Romano left with the save.
Red Sox vs. Blue Jays Analysis
It’s important we consider some MLB team stats before we pick our Blue Jays vs. Red Sox best bet.
Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are second to none in the AL when it comes to their consistency in the batter’s box. Toronto has a collective .262 batting average, which is bested by only Colorado’s, which is just one tick better.
They also rank in the top seven in the major leagues in terms of RBIs, home runs, and total runs. Both Guerrero and Kirk have been key cogs with the lumber, as the latter paces the order by hitting .302. Kirk also has a .382 on-base percentage.
As for Guerrero, he’s slugged 26 dingers and piled up 76 RBIs. His 133 total knocks are the most of anyone in the lineup.
Red Sox
Boston also has a fairly effective offense, being that the Red Sox have a solid .254 team batting average. They teeter on the edge of the bottom third of MLB when it comes to going deep.
Third baseman Rafael Devers leads the charge with a .299 batting average, 25 homers, and 64 runs driven in. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has a .369 on-base percentage and 129 total hits.
Bogaerts missed Wednesday’s contest with a back ailment and is listed as day-to-day on the injury report.
Only four Red Sox hitters have recorded double-digit home runs this campaign, a select group that includes the second baseman Trevor Story and first baseman Bobby Dalbec, as well.
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Odds Breakdown
Red Sox: MLB odds today have the Red Sox at -115 to cover -1.5 and +148 underdogs on the moneyline.
Blue Jays: As a visitor, Toronto is favored on the moneyline at -176. They’re -104 to cover -1.5.
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Pick and Prediction
With a pair of capable groups of hitters, this one will come down to which team’s pitcher does a better job of quieting the other guys.
Kutter Crawford, a 26-year-old righty, will look to get the job done for the hosts. He’s 3-5 in 19 total appearances this season and has a 5.14 ERA. The Red Sox have fallen short in each of his last three starts.
His last time out, against Baltimore, he gave up an alarming 11 hits and nine runs in 3.2 frames.
It’s much wiser to trust Toronto’s Kevin Gausman, who has a sub-3.00 ERA and ranks 12th in strikeouts (149) so far this year.
Clearer MLB Games
Helping make this one of the clearer MLB games today, his presence also helps decide the Blue Jays vs. Red Sox best bet.
With him starting on the mound, go with the Blue Jays to sweep this series. The total is set at nine runs, with the over being -104 and the under -118.
Expect Guerrero and Co. to get after Crawford, tagging him with a bevy of early runs. Go with the over there. Those are your MLB picks today.
Matchup Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (-104)
Matchup Pick: Over 9 (-104)
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