Los Angeles Angels vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
Toronto opened as a -165 favourite on the MLB odds after sweeping the Halos last week.
Angels vs. Jays August 22nd Betting Analysis
After this four-game series, the Blue Jays have just five series left at Rogers Centre and none longer than three games. It’s also the last home set vs. an AL West opponent (one road series to go at Texas). Toronto has a losing record against the AL East and Central and also against the National League but is 15-10 vs. the AL West thanks in part to a three-game sweep at the Angels to start last week – each win by multiple runs.
It was the Jays’ third series sweep of the season and second on the road. I don’t honestly see another road sweep this year and perhaps the only realistic chance for another at home other than this one would be the final three games in late September against a bad Miami team. Toronto looks to win the overall season series vs. Los Angeles for a third straight year. The Jays were 2-1 at Rogers Centre vs. the Halos in 2023.
Hard to know what the Angels might look like when the Jays seem them in 2025 – very possible the franchise finally trades the spectacular but injury-prone Mike Trout this offseason with Trout yet again done for the year. Manager Ron Washington is in his first season with the team so he should be back.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels haven’t won a series since somehow taking two of three at the Yankees early this month. LA lost two of three in Kansas City to open this week and was blanked on Wednesday. While shortstop Zach Neto was 0-for-2, he walked twice and has had a nice month at .290 with six homers, 16 RBI, three steals and a 1.033 OPS. The 23-year-old is definitely a big part of the team’s future as Neto has taken a nice leap in Year 2. He is the first infielder in franchise history to have at least 19 homers and 22 steals in a season.
If the Halos have a lead in the ninth, good luck to the Jays hitting off closer Ben Joyce. This week, he threw a pitch a whopping 104.8 mph and has eclipsed 100 mph on 42 per cent of his throws this year. That entire Angels bullpen has been really good of late even after trading closer Carlos Estevez to Philadelphia. It’s expected to be Griffin Canning (4-11, 5.41 ERA) starting tonight. He was shelled for seven runs over 4.1 innings last time out against Atlanta. Canning didn’t face the Jays last week. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 1-for-4 off him career with a homer.
Toronto Blue Jays
Likely future Hall of Famer and former NL MVP Joey Votto, a Toronto native who signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays in the offseason but got hurt in spring training and was trying to work his way back in the minors, officially retired Wednesday never playing a game with the Jays. Toronto lost two of three at home to open this week vs. Cincinnati – you could definitely say that things looked good on Wednesday to win the series considering the Jays were up 6-0 after three innings, but then it all fell apart in an 11-7 loss. Spencer Horwitz continued his fine season by going 2-for-3 with a homer, double, three RBI and two walks. George Springer hit the 60th leadoff home run of his career. He’s now 21 behind the all-time leader in that category, Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson.
Manager John Schneider elected to push back the entire rotation a day starting Thursday, so it’s not official as of this writing who will start but it likely will be rookie Jake Bloss in the main role with veteran lefty Ryan Yarbrough in the mix. Bloss was 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA in three starts for Houston and was acquired in the Yusei Kikuchi deal. He hasn’t pitched for Toronto yet. The 32-year-old lefty Yarbrough was also acquired last month in the Kevin Kiermaier deal with the Dodgers. In four relief appearances with the Jays, Yarbrough has a 6.35 ERA in 5.2 innings.
LAA
TOR