Toronto's ace, Dylan Cease, tees it up against Angels' starting pitcher Reid Detmers in what should be a good pitching showdown
For the Toronto Blue Jays, thankfully, they’re done with the Tampa Bay Rays, at least until Monday at Rogers Centre.
Toronto dropped three in a row at Tropicana Field earlier this week, somewhat feebly: 5-1, 4-3, and 3-0.
The Jays have historically had a rough time with the Rays, especially at Tropicana Field, but they don’t return there until Aug. 18, for a three-game series.
So, it’s just good overall, for re-set purposes, that they’re home now, starting a three-game series with the L.A. Angels starting tonight.
The Jays are 16-21 overall, and 10-8 at home. The Jays are 4-6 in their last ten, the Angels 3-7. The Angels are 7-13 in road games.
It looks like Addison Barger returns to the Jays’ lineup, likely slotted into right field, which means someone is going to have to be sent to the minors.
Davis Schneider and his .132 batting average, and .559 OPS, is the likely candidate. Not that it impacts how you bet, what happens with Schneider, but keep an eye on the Barger news update today and how it impacts the Blue Jays’ hitting lineup for tonight.
Injuries remain the big over-arching storyline for Toronto. Sportsnet reported that starting pitcher Shane Bieber is making good progress, throwing a bullpen session this past week in Tampa and scheduled to face hitters soon. After that is an extended rehab stint then a return to the majors.
On the flip side, Max Scherzer is trying to figure out his forearm issue, and will be meeting doctors, and the results of an MRI on Jose Berrios’ elbow are due in today.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk is expected back in late May, working his way back from a fractured thumb (he’s throwing and hitting in the cage).
BEST BETS
MLB
L.A. Angels at Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. EST, Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Dylan Cease (2-1, 3.05) vs. Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.28 ERA)
Dylan Cease 9+ Strikeouts +155
Looking at MLB betting at Betway, the Blue Jays are Moneyline favourites, at -165, with the Angels at +135. The Runline is Jays -1.5 (+125), the Angels +1.5 (-165). The Over/Under is 7.5 (Over +100, Under -120).
I loved the Cease signing – a seven-year, $210 million contract last winter, second in MLB in strikeouts per nine innings (13.1, behind Jacob Misiorowski, at 14.0), and ERA of 3.05, and a 2-1 record.
Even in that Saturday game last weekend against the Minnesota Twins, a wild 11-4 win, Cease didn’t have his prime stuff in the Minny cold, but still grinded out seven innings, and seven Ks. Cease kept his team in it until the bats woke up in an eight-run eighth inning. He’s a hockey player dressed in a baseball uniform.
The dome will be closed tonight. Look for Cease to bring that electric fastball-slider combo as he looks to further establish himself as Toronto’s ace, leading his team back onto the winning track.
BEST BET
Blue Jays Moneyline -165
The Jays are clear favourites, but payout is still reasonable there. I like the balance.
As I mentioned, the Blue Jays haven’t been tearing it up of late, and sit fourth in the American League East, 9.5 games of the first place New York Yankees. They’ve lost four in a row overall. So oddsmakers are hesitant.
Incredibly, it seems, the team sits just 1.5 games out of a wildcard spot.
Barger coming back would be a big boost, especially after I watched him hit bombs playing for the Buffalo Bisons Triple A team as part of his rehab process this past week.
He’ll likely hit fourth tonight, and while Barger struggled earlier this season (.053 batting average in 19 ABs), before going down with an ankle injury, he hit 21 homers last season and slugged .454. That’s going to be a good thing for a team that ranks 23rd in MLB with 34 home runs (and 27th in runs, at 147, 24th in OPS, at .690).
BEST BET
Under 7.5 -120
Feels like a good pitching matchup tonight, especially if Cease settles in early, also factoring in Toronto’s inconsistency of late.
When he’s locating well, Detmers, a left-hander, can be effective, and he’ll benefit from the indoor conditions tonight at Rogers Centre as well.
Detmers can struggle with consistency, and can let innings snowball, but he’s also capable of dominating with mid-90s fastball and a sharp slider.
Detmers went 5-3 last year, with a 3.96 ERA, 80 strikeouts over 63.2 innings pitched, a 1.30 WHIP (11.3 SO/9, which is pretty good).
