So you\u2019re sitting down to make a bet or two on tonight\u2019s massive Toronto Blue Jays-Cleveland Guardians game, and you see the news that the Jays are going to start right-hander Spencer Miles as an opener, as opposed to Spencer Arrighetti.<\/p>\n
Arrighetti was originally scheduled to start the game and will now likely follow Miles, Sportsnet reports.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know about you, but that changes my outlook more in the Jays\u2019 favour. Miles (83.1 innings pitched, 2.92 ERA) has been Steady Eddie all season, one of the few bright spots in an up\u2013and\u2013down \u2013 largely down \u2013 season.<\/p>\n
Looking at the wild-card standings, this will go down as the most important series of the season for Toronto. The Guardians sit in that third and final wild-card spot presently, at 69-68. The Jays (68-70) sit 1.5 games behind the Guardians, with the Texas Rangers (also 1.5 games back) and the Baltimore Orioles (69-69, 0.5 games back) sitting between them and Cleveland.<\/p>\n
Game time for Game 1 of a three-game series is 6:40 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n
Chase DeLauter is coming off a massive game for the Guardians \u2013 four hits in Sunday\u2019s 11-1 win over the Kansas City Royals. Jose Ramirez is 11 for 42 with four doubles, a homer and 10 RBI over his past 10 games.<\/p>\n
George Springer is 16 for 34 with four doubles and two homers over his past 10 games for Toronto.<\/p>\n
The Guardians counter with Gavin Williams (12-7, 3.98 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 204 strikeouts). The Jays follow up with their studs, Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano, on the mound for Games 2 and 3, so if you\u2019re going to bet against them, tonight is the game.<\/p>\n
Still, as said, Miles has me looking at this game much more positively than if Arrighetti was starting.<\/p>\n