The Toronto Blue Jays visit the New York Yankees for a three-game MLB betting series as the All-Star break draws nearer.
Blue Jays vs Toronto MLB betting odds
Time: 7:05 PM
Venue: Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York
Sportsbook odds for fans who bet on baseball:
Blue Jays +1½ (-185) 9 (-115) +110
Yankees -1½ (+160) 9 (-105) -120
Toronto
On the mound: following back-to-back starts in which he allowed three homers, Marcus Stroman (RHP, 8-4, 3.41 ERA, 84 K) threw a career-high 119 pitches, surrendered five hits and struck out eight Orioles in seven shutout innings in his last start. He has recorded five quality starts in his last six appearances. Stroman is well on track to another 200-inning season. The slider – which he may or may not call the Yokosuka facebuster – has become Stroman’s second-most used pitch this season, and with good reason. After forcing a 16.5% with that pitch in 2016, the percentage has increased to 25.3% this season.
Trends for fans who bet on baseball: The BJs have lost and failed to cover in five of their last six games, and are 1-5 against the spread in their last six meetings with the Yankees. The MLB betting total has gone under in two thirds of the Jays’ last six games, and over in six of Toronto’s last eight games with the Bombers.
New York
On the mound: Masahiro Tanaka (RHP, 6-7, 5.56 ERA, 90 K) is 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA in his last four starts, has struck out 32 in 24 2/3 innings, and has held opponents to .674 OPS. He beat the Jays on May 2nd. Tanaka pitched eight shutout innings against Texas and then had another quality start versus the White Sox. Additionally, he managed to avoid the long ball – which had been giving him problems since the beginning of May – in those two starts. Tanaka has had the upper hand versus many a Toronto’s top batter in their head-to-head career. Exempli gratia, Justin Smoak is hitless in eleven plate appearances with five strikeouts, and Josh Donaldson is 3-for-21 (.143). Ditto Russell Martin, 1-for-11 (.091). On the other hand, Steve Pearce has two career homers versus Tanaka, which could earn Pearce another start against a right-handed pitcher.
At bat: Yankees’ No. 2 prospect Clint Frazier debuted on Saturday and hit his first career homer. Frazier joined the Bombers last season from Cleveland in the Andrew Miller trade, and had an .816 OPS with 12 home runs in Triple-A before being promoted.
Trends for fans who bet on baseball: The Yanks have only won five and only covered in four of their last 19 games overall, but are 5-1 straight up and against the spread in their last six times hosting the Blue Jays. The MLB betting total has gone over in four the Yankees’ last five games, over in 80% of their last 10 home games, over in six of their last eight encounters with Toronto, and over in four of their five home games versus the B. Jays.