Toronto Blue Jays vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: Odds, Prediction
The Diamondbacks are -125 favourites on the MLB odds for Friday’s opener.
Jays vs. Snakes Betting Analysis
I don’t want to say the Arizona Diamondbacks winning the 2023 National League pennant was a fluke, but the team had just 84 regular-season wins and finished 16 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. But the Snakes swept two games at Milwaukee in the Wild-Card Round, stunned the Dodgers in a three-game Divisional Round sweep and then upset the Phillies in the NLCS by winning the final two games of the series in Philadelphia. Arizona’s magic ran out in a five-game World Series loss to Texas.
If anything, it appeared the Diamondbacks might be better entering this year. Corbin Carroll was the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year and a burgeoning superstar. The team also bolstered the lineup via trade in the offseason by landing third baseman Eugenio Suarez from Seattle and added two excellent lefty pitchers in Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez. There’s still a lot of season left, but the Diamondbacks have disappointed. Carroll has regressed, and Suarez has been largely a bust (but enters with homers in back-to-back games). Montgomery has been largely lousy and is currently hurt, and Rodriguez has yet to pitch this season due to his own injury. If everyone gets healthy, this could be a dangerous second-half team.
Toronto swept three games at home vs. Arizona in 2023. The Jays haven’t played in the desert since 2016. They lead the all-time series 12-10.
Toronto Blue Jays
Not clear whether Jays shortstop Bo Bichette or outfielder Daulton Varsho will return to the starting lineup as Bichette sat for Thursday’s series finale in San Francisco with a calf injury and Varsho was out with a knee issue. Neither is considered serious. MLB.com reported this week that Toronto will be a seller at the upcoming trade deadline but that neither Bichette nor Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be moved. Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, having a fine bounce-back season, is likely a goner. He’s scheduled to pitch Sunday. It’s rookie righty Yariel Rodriguez (1-3, 3.68) on the mound Friday. The 27-year-old Cuban has looked like a different guy in July with back-to-back quality starts, allowing just one run and three hits over 12.2 innings. Rodriguez got his first big-league win last Saturday in Seattle. His 15 walks in 29.1 innings this year remain a concern, and Rodriguez has walked multiple batters in six of seven outings. This will be Rodriguez’s first-ever look at Arizona. He’s 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA in 15.1 road innings. Toronto is 12-11 against the National League this year and 69-49 since 2021, the third-best interleague mark in the majors.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Former Blue Jay Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was out of the lineup for Arizona’s 1-0 win over Atlanta on Thursday with some minor bumps and bruises and is day-to-day. The 30-year-old is having a solid year, batting .266 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs. The Snakes likely will not have closer Paul Sewald available tonight as he saved both Wednesday’s and Thursday’s wins against the Braves. Right-hander Ryne Nelson (6-6, 5.08 ERA) starts for the Diamondbacks. Usually, guys are much better at home than on the road but not the 26-year-old Nelson as he’s 3-3 with a 6.69 ERA in 35.0 innings this year at Chase Field and 3-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 44.2 road innings. Nelson has a 1.54 ERA in two July starts but those were both away. He faced the Jays at Rogers Centre in 2023 and took a no-decision, allowing two runs and nine hits over 5.2 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a solo homer off him.
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