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The weekend is almost here! The Boston Red Sox will wrap up the final game of a four-game series versus Toronto on Thursday as they battle it out with the Blue Jays. It is time to check out our MLB odds series, where our Red Sox-Blue Jays prediction and pick will be revealed.
The Red Sox enter Thursday's divisional matchup looking to split the series after routing Toronto yesterday by a score of 7-1. With a record of 8-11, Boston will look to RHP Garrett Whitlock after the Red Sox held the powerful Blue Jays lineup to only five hits and one run.
On the bump for the Blue Jays will be RHP Alek Manoah, who has compiled a 2.00 ERA and has been one of the best pitchers so far for the only MLB team in Canada. Toronto has an overall record of 12-7, which is good for second place in the AL East.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Red Sox-Blue Jays MLB odds:
MLB Odds: Red Sox-Blue Jays Odds
Boston Red Sox: +1.5 (-205)
Toronto Blue Jays: -1.5 (+168)
Over: 7 (-115)
Under: 7 (-105)
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Why The Red Sox Could Cover the Spread
After an impressive showing that saw the Red Sox overwhelm the Blue Jays in every facet of the game on Wednesday, Boston will need to play just as efficient in order to come out victorious in a vital divisional matchup.
The Red Sox' bullpen were quite lousy in the opening pair of games in this series, as it will be important for Boston to shut down Toronto hitters in order if they are tasked with a late inning lead and need to retire the Blue Jays at the dish.
Getting the series finale nod will be Whitlock, who has nearly been un-hittable to start off the season. Whitlock has yet to allow a run since an appearance against the Yankees on April 8th, as his minuscule 0.86 ERA speaks for itself. In fact, the 25 year old has mostly been used in relief roles out of the Boston ‘pen, but is now being used in a starting role thus far in 2022. In 13 2/3 innings pitched, Whitlock has fanned sixteen hitters. Whitlock is 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA in six career outings versus Toronto.
As a whole, the Sox have pitched rather averagely as a team, with Boston's 3.72 ERA ranking out as the 16th best mark in baseball. The Red Sox have yet to get an official quality start out of their pitching staff and are allowing opponents to hit .227 against them.
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Similarly to their pitching numbers, the same can be said while inside the batter's box, as Boston has given off the impression that they are a middle-of-the-pack hitting team through 19 games played. While names like Xander Bogaerts is hitting a blistering hot .397, Red Sox hitting has managed only 72 runs and have an on-base percentage of .280, which is good for 16th and 25th respectively. Boston will need to generate hits and maximize their opportunities when runners are on base, as they did yesterday in the 7-1 victory.
The Red Sox are 11-8 ATS this season.
Why The Blue Jays Could Cover the Spread
After winning the first two games of the series, Toronto can close the door against Boston if they can get a productive outing from righty Alek Manoah, who is tied for second in the majors with a 3-0 record. Unlike Boston, Toronto has been fairly dynamic out on the diamond and include a 6-3 record inside the Rogers Centre.
With the big, bad wolves representing the heart of the Blue Jay's lineup, Toronto has a tremendous chance to cover the spread with their uncanny knack in slugging baseballs over the fence. In fact, the Blue Jays are no strangers in hitting the long ball, as they have the fifth best slugging percentage with a .415 mark. The 2019 Home Run Derby winner and 2021 MLB Home Run leader, Vladamir Guerrero Jr. would love to add MVP honors to his trophy case. The 23 year-old is leading the Blue Jays in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.
Manoah will give the Blue Jays a great chance to cover the spread, as the Florida native has racked up the quality starts to begin the 2022 campaign. The Toronto twirler has tossed exactly six innings in each of his first three starts, and even retired 16 of the final 20 batters versus Houston last Saturday after a shaky first inning. Impressive enough, but Manoah seems to throw harder as the game progresses, giving him a much-needed boost in the second and third time through the lineup.
Toronto pitching is allowing the opposition to hit .243, good for the seventh-worst number among the 30 MLB squads.
The Blue Jays are 9-9 ATS this season.
Final Red Sox-Blue Jays Prediction & Pick
On paper, these two rivals should gut it out in what should be a neck and neck game until the final out is recorded. With Boston inconsistencies so far and Toronto's well-rounded roster giving the Red Sox fits for the majority of the series, expect a bounce back game from the Blue Jays in the biggest of way.
Final Red Sox-Blue Jays Prediction & Pick: Blue Jays -1.5 (+168)
