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The Cleveland Guardians will begin a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday at the Rogers Centre. We're here to share our MLB odds series, make a Guardians-Blue Jays prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
Guardians-Blue Jays Projected Starters
Logan Allen vs. Kevin Gausman
Logan Allen (6-3) with a 5.57 ERA
Last Start: Allen had a solid time out after going six innings while allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out three and walking three in a no-decision against the Miami Marlins. It was a nice bounce-back effort after a bad outing against the Colorado Rockies.
2024 Road Splits: Allen is slightly better on the road than he is at home, producing a 4-3 record with a 4.57 ERA.
Kevin Gausman (5-4) with a 4.00 ERA
Last Start: Gausman was exceptional in his last outing as he tossed a complete-game shutout while allowing five hits and striking out 10 in a win over the Oakland Athletics. It was a nice recovery after he struggled in his last outing.
2024 Home Splits: Gausman has struggled at the Rogers Centre, going 1-2 with a 6.68 ERA over six starts in Toronto.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Guardians-Blue Jays Odds
Cleveland Guardians: +1.5 (-205)
Moneyline: +110
Toronto Blue Jays: -1.5 (+168)
Moneyline: -130
Over: 8.5 (+102)
Under: 8.5 (-124)
How to Watch Guardians vs. Blue Jays
Time: 7:07 PM ET/4:07 PM PT
TV: Sportsnet
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Guardians Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Guardians are currently 42-23 and leading the American League Central. Substantially, they have a 5 1/2 game lead over the Kansas City Royals due to their pitching and improved hitting.
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Guardians have produced mixed results on offense. So far, they are 16th in batting average. But the Guardians are also eighth in on-base percentage, sixth in runs, and 11th in home runs and slugging percentage. Ultimately, they have some players who have powered the surge.
Jose Ramirez remains one of the best sluggers in the world. Currently, he is batting .273 with 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 51 runs. Ramirez also has done well in his career against the Blue Jays. Significantly, he is hitting .260 with 33 hits, six home runs, 21 RBIs, and 20 runs over 34 games against the Jays since 2018.
But not many people are talking about Josh Naylor's amazing season. Amazingly, he has hit .224 with 17 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 36 RBIs. If Naylor continues at his current pace, he will finish with 40 home runs and 100 RBIs. Moreover, he is three home runs away from tying his career best, which he will surely shatter. While his batting average is not great, he makes up for it with power.
The Guardians are currently sixth in the majors in team ERA. Overall, they have great pitching. But when their starters finish a game, they get great support from the best bullpen in baseball.
The Guardians will cover the spread if Ramirez and Naylor can continue to bash the baseball. Then, they need another good outing from Allen.
Why The Blue Jays Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Blue Jays are 33-35 and fourth in the American League East. Ultimately, this has been a tough season for them and it does not get any easier in this series.
The offense has slumped this season. Unfortunately, they are just 22nd in batting average, 16th in on-base percentage, 25th in runs, 26th in home runs, and 25th in slugging percentage. Their hitters are just not getting the job done.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was supposed to be one of the best hitters in the majors. Instead, he has declined over the last few years. But Guerrero is batting .286 with 12 hits, two home runs, four RBIs, and three runs over his last 10 games against the Guardians. Thus, expect him to still be a threat in this one.
Bo Bichette is not having a good season. Even worse, he has struggled against the Guardians. Bichette hit just .167 with two hits and one RBI over three games against the Guardians in 2023. Furthermore, he is hitting .161 with five hits, one home run, six RBIs, and three runs over nine home games against the Guardians. George Springer has slowed down. Yet, he still has dominated the Guardians. Springer is batting .296 with 47 hits, 10 home runs, 23 RBIs, and 32 runs over his career against Cleveland. Additionally, he hit .393 with 11 hits, one home run, four RBIs, and six runs over seven games last season against them.
The pitching staff has also struggled. So far, the Jays rank 19th in team ERA. The Jays also have the third-worst bullpen in baseball. Regretfully, their relievers have not done a good job helping the effort.
The Blue Jays will cover the spread if Guerrero, Bichette, and Springer can all be productive. Then, they need another good outing from Gausman.
Final Guardians-Blue Jays Prediction & Pick
The Guardians are 38-28 against the spread this season. Meanwhile, the Jays are 32-36. The Guardians are also 22-15 against the spread on the road, while the Jays are 11-20 against the spread at home. While Gausman pitched well in his last outing, it is still difficult to trust him against a good team. Plus, he has struggled at home this season. Guardians cover the spread.
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Final Guardians-Blue Jays Prediction & Pick: Cleveland Guardians +1.5 (-205)
