Odds and Bets: Can the winless Elks take advantage of injury-riddled Saskatchewan?
Today’s Sports Betting Picks – Thursday, July 6, 2023
Blue Jays at White Sox: Double trouble Thursday
The Toronto Blue Jays are in Chicago to face the White Sox and after Wednesday night’s game was postponed due to heavy rain, the teams will finish their three-game series with a doubleheader on Thursday. The first game is scheduled to start at 5:10 p.m. ET, while the second game will begin roughly 35 to 40 minutes after the opener.
Toronto won the series opener 4-3 on Tuesday, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s two-run homer in the eighth inning sealing the victory. The Blue Jays now sit fourth in the AL East with a 46-40 record, 1.5 games back of the final wild-card spot. The White Sox are fourth in the AL Central with a 37-50 record, a dismal 11.0 games out of a wild-card spot.
Toronto will keep their original pitching rotation, meaning Jose Berrios will start the first game on Thursday and Yusei Kikuchi will start game two. Berrios has an 8-6 record this season, posting a 3.74 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 101 innings pitched. Kikuchi is 7-3 with a career-best 4.08 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 88.1 innings pitched.
Lance Lynn will get the ball for Chicago in the first game of the doubleheader, although it’s unclear who will start game two. Lynn is 5-8 this season with a 6.47 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 96 innings pitched.
MLB best bet: Blue Jays win three-game series (-147)
Storm at Sun: Connecticut storm surge
The lone WNBA game on Thursday’s schedule sees the Seattle Storm (4-12 record, fifth in Western Conference) and Connecticut Sun (12-5, second in Eastern Conference) meet for the second time this season. The teams played June 20 in Seattle, with the Sun claiming an 85-79 road victory. DeWanna Bonner led Connecticut with 20 points, while Alyssa Thomas put up a triple-double of 13 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. Seattle’s Jewell Loyd finished with a game-high 33 points.
The Sun are coming off a tough two-game stretch against the top team in each conference. They fell 89-81 at home to the East-leading New York Liberty last Tuesday before dropping a 102-84 decision in Las Vegas against the West-leading Aces on Saturday. Bonner is averaging a team-high 17.7 points per game. Thomas has also been clutch, averaging 14.4 points, 10.1 rebounds (second in WNBA), 8.2 assists (second in WNBA) and 2.1 steals (leads WNBA).
The Storm are losers of three straight after being swept in a home-and-home against Minnesota and losing 81-66 at home to the New York Liberty on Sunday. Loyd has been lethal for Seattle, averaging a league-high 25.8 ppg while leading the WNBA with 53 three-pointers made. Ezi Magbegor has also been an important piece for the Storm. Magbegor is averaging 14.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks (third-best in WNBA).
WNBA best bet: Seattle covers as 9.5-point underdogs (-110)
Elks at Roughriders: Elks eye first win
It’s been a rough start to the season for the 0-4 Edmonton Elks as they sit dead last in the CFL and things won’t get any easier on Thursday when they travel to Saskatchewan to face the 2-1 Roughriders.
These teams met in Edmonton in Week 1, with the Riders winning 17-13. That was quarterback Trevor Harris’ first game with Saskatchewan and he’s only looked better each game since. In three games this season, Harris is averaging 8.3 passing yards per attempt and 289 yards per game. Overall, he sits third in the CFL in both total passing yards (867) and passing touchdowns (5).
The Elks, on the other hand, have struggled to find any consistency at quarterback. Jarret Doege started last week’s loss in Ottawa, but struggled heavily, throwing for one touchdown and three interceptions. Taylor Cornelius will get the start in Saskatchewan. In three games, Cornelius has thrown for 440 total yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
CFL best bet: Game total Under 44.0 points (-110)