Athletics vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
The former Oakland A’s technically don’t have a city name for the next few years in the midst of a move to Las Vegas. Toronto is a -165 favourite on the MLB odds with a total of 8.5 runs for the opener.
Betting Analysis
The Athletics franchise moved from Oakland to California’s capital city of Sacramento this year and at least through the 2027 season as a stadium is built in their new home of Las Vegas. In theory, the A’s could have stayed in Oakland until then, but the fans there so despised owner John Fisher that it was never an option. Plus, the lease had run out with the Oakland Coliseum. If Fisher hadn’t been so unpopular with his penny-pinching and tanking ways, something surely could have been worked out.
This team has some promising young pieces led by 23-year-old shortstop Jacob Wilson, who is the -230 favourite for AL Rookie of the Year, 23-year-old first baseman Tyler Soderstrom, 24-year-old outfielder Lawrence Butler and fire-balling closer Mason Miller, although he’s having a bit of a down season. This won’t be a playoff team this season but expect ownership to start spending more and more as the permanent move to Las Vegas gets closer so the team can contend in front of its new fanbase.
The teams split six regular-season games last year with the Blue Jays losing two of three at Rogers Centre. Toronto visits Sacramento from July 11-13, the final series before the All-Star break.
Athletics
On May 13, the A’s were upset winners at the Dodgers, 11-1. They are 1-13 since after a 5-3 loss in Houston on Wednesday – blowing a 3-2 lead in the seventh. The team is down two regulars on the injured list in second baseman Zack Gelof, who has yet to play this year, and rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz.
Lefty Jacob Lopez (0-2, 2.57 ERA) is scheduled on the mound Thursday for the Athletics. He’s 27 but this will be just his 14th big-league appearance and 10th start. It’s Lopez’s first season with the Athletics after spending the past two – with very limited big-league action – in the Rays’ organization. Lopez is a converted reliever who hadn’t gone more than 2.2 innings in an outing this year until going a career-high seven innings last Friday vs. excellent Philadelphia, allowing one run and three hits but taking a tough-luck loss.
Lopez’s lone career outing vs. the Blue Jays was the finale the 2023 regular season in Toronto while with Tampa Bay, and he won despite allowing five earned runs and eight hits over 5.1 innings. That was his first career big-league start. The A’s are 14-14 on the road this season.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto finished a six-game trip at 2-4 with Wednesday’s 2-0 upset win at Texas. Bo Bichette was out of the starting lineup with a back issue but hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the top of the ninth. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be good to start tonight, but it’s not a bad sign. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extended his career-best on-base streak to 28 games, the longest active in the majors, with two singles and a walk.
Righty Jose Berrios (1-2, 4.22 ERA) is on the mound tonight and looking for his first win since April 7 in Boston. Most of his outings have ended in a no-decision. Toronto has lost his past four despite Berrios having a quality start in three of those. Berrios has struggled at home, going 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA and .276 opponents’ batting average in six starts. He has made 11 career starts against the Athletics – the Oakland version – and is 3-3 with a 3.46 ERA. Lawrence Butler is 2-for-6 with a double and homer career off him. Toronto is 16-12 at home.
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