Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Angels: Odds, Prediction
The Blue Jays haven’t won back-to-back games in 10 days but can accomplish that on Monday night when they open a series at the Los Angeles Angels. With Dylan Cease on the mound, Toronto is a -125 favourite on the MLB odds with a total of 7.5 runs.
Betting Analysis
What to make of the 2026 Los Angeles Angels? Hard to say, really. Most likely not a playoff team but also not out of the question. Three-time AL MVP Mike Trout is still there, and while he’s only batting .234 is having a nice power season with seven homers, 16 RBIs and a.980 OPS. Last week, he homered five times in a four-game series at Yankee Stadium, becoming the first visiting player to homer on four straight days at any ballpark the Yankees have ever had.
Fellow outfielder Jo Adell has become a defensive superstar – on April 4 at home vs. Seattle, he made baseball history by robbing three potential home runs in a single game against the Seattle Mariners. His glove from that now will be in the Hall of Fame. L.A. has a decent lineup, but the pitching staff leaves a lot to be desired. Although starter Jose Soriano has been ridiculous so far at 5-0 with a 0.28 ERA. He is currently scheduled for Wednesday’s series finale.
Toronto has won four straight season series vs. the Angels, including 4-2 last year but 1-2 in Anaheim. The Halos will visit Toronto for three games starting May 8.
Toronto Blue Jays
Entering Sunday’s series finale in Arizona, the Jays had lost four in a row and totalled only seven total runs. They topped that in the first inning alone in the 10-4 victory. The first inning was bananas with Toronto tallying seven consecutive hits followed by a walk in an eight-run outburst. The seven hits and eight runners to reach base to open the game both tied the club record. Rookie Kazuma Okamoto had his breakout game of the season with a homer, double and three RBIs.
Righty Dylan Cease takes the mound Monday. The 30-year-old has been worth every penny of that big free-agent signing so far with a 1.74 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 20.2 innings spanning four starts. Cease hasn’t gotten a decision yet, however. He is one of only three pitchers in MLB history to have begun a season with at least 30 strikeouts, an ERA below 2.50 and zero wins in his first four starts.
Cease is 1-2 with a 3.49 ERA in seven career starts vs. the Angels. Mike Trout is just 1-for-9 with six strikeouts off him. Zach Neto has had some success against Cease at 2-for-5 with two homers. Toronto is 2-7 in its past nine road games.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels’ bats have gone quiet in a two-game skid in totalling just two runs. They did get back DH Jorge Soler from a four-game suspension in Sunday’s home defeat vs. the Padres, but he whiffed three times. The Angels went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and struck out 11 times overall. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud left that one after being hit by a pitch on his left foot but is the backup to Logan O’Hoppe.
Originally, lefty Reid Detmers was to start Sunday’s game but was pushed back to Monday. The 26-year-old is 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in four starts spanning 22.2 innings. Detmers has been really good in two starts and pretty bad in two, with no real rhyme or reason why.
In six career appearances vs. Toronto (three starts), Detmers is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in 17.0 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 1-for-7 off him career. L.A. is 1-4 in its past five at home.
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