Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Angels: Odds, Prediction

Payton Matthews | Updated Aug 11, 2024

MLB: Oakland Athletics at Toronto Blue Jays

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The Blue Jays play their final U.S. West Coast series of the 2024 regular season starting Monday night when they visit the struggling Los Angeles Angels.

Toronto
72-80
AT
August 12, 2024, 9:38 PM ET
Angel Stadium
LA Angels
62-90
Runline -1.5 +150
Moneyline -105
Over / Under o +9

0%

Betting Action

69%

Matchup Odds
Runline +1.5 -185
Moneyline -115
Over / Under u +9

0%

Betting Action

69%

Matchup Odds

The Halos are short favourites on the MLB odds.

Betting Analysis

The Chicago White Sox might be historically bad this season, but the franchise arguably in the worst shape in the entire sport is the Angels. For one thing, they have one of the worst farm systems and have for years. That group might have been much better had the Halos traded all-world player Shohei Ohtani ahead of the 2023 deadline. Instead, the Angels recklessly tried to make a wild-card run that didn’t work out. So they got nothing other than a compensatory draft pick when Ohtani signed with the crosstown Dodgers this offseason. The Angels had some other pieces they could have dealt before this year’s deadline like starting pitcher Tyler Anderson and infielder Luis Rengifo but strangely held on to both. And of course Rengifo went down to a season-ending injury shortly after.

In addition, this franchise will be paying three-time AL MVP Mike Trout more than $37 million per season though 2030. If Trout were in his MVP form, that’s a steal. But the 33-year-old future Hall of Famer just can’t stay healthy any longer as he has only played 29 games this season and won’t return due to a torn meniscus in his knee. That marks the third time in the past four seasons that Trout played 82 games or fewer.

Monday is the first meeting of the season between the clubs with the Angels in Toronto from Aug. 22-24. The Jays were 4-2 in the series last year, including 2-1 in Anaheim.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays lost two of three at home against a bad Oakland A’s team over the weekend and scored only eight total runs in the series. In Sunday’s 8-4 loss, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 22 games. That tied his career high set in 2022. Guerrero grounded into two double plays. Reliever Genesis Cabrera was activated off the paternity list Sunday but didn’t pitch. Fellow pitcher Yerry Rodriguez was sent to Triple-A to clear a roster spot.

Converted reliever Bowden Francis (4-3, 5.44 ERA) gets the start Monday. He was solid last time out vs. Baltimore in a no-decision, allowing two runs and three hits over five innings. Francis makes his first career appearance vs. the Angels and is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA this season in two starts vs. AL West teams. He is 2-3 with a 5.28 ERA in 29 road innings this year overall. Toronto starting pitchers had allowed two runs or fewer in six straight games until Sunday when Chris Bassitt was hammered for seven runs over four.

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels avoided a sweep at the Washington Nationals with a 6-4 win on Sunday and finished a six-game trip that also included the Yankees at 3-3. Closer Ben Joyce, who might throw harder than anyone in the majors, was used for 29 pitches on Sunday and thus might not be available for Monday. The Angels have four players with at least 10 homers in their age-25 season for the first time in franchise history and are the only team with four such players in the majors this year. They are Jo Adell, Logan O’Hoppe, Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel. O’Hoppe’s 16 dingers are a career high, third-most in MLB among catchers and most in a season as an Angels catcher since Mike Napoli had 17 homers in 2009.

Rookie right-hander Davis Daniel (1-3, 6.04 ERA) is scheduled on the mound Monday. He is 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA in three starts in 2024 at home and has never faced Toronto.

MLB Prediction: Who Will Win Blue Jays vs. Angels?

SportsInteraction
  • TOR
  • -105 -115
  • LAA
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