Toronto Blue Jays vs. Milwaukee Brewers: Odds, Prediction
The Milwaukee Brewers are defending NL Central champions and have a comfortable lead atop the division currently as they host the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of an interleague series on Monday. The Brew Crew are short favourites on the MLB odds.
Betting Analysis
The Milwaukee Brewers have been one of the most successful teams in the National League since 2018 with three Central Division titles and five playoff appearances, although the franchise has only reached the World Series once: In 1982 while in the American League, the Brew Crew lost in seven to St. Louis. Highly doubt they win it all this year without some trade additions.
Many around baseball expected a fair step back for Milwaukee in 2024 after losing arguably the best manager in the sport, Craig Counsell, to the rival Cubs, trading ace and former NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to the Orioles and without another excellent starting pitcher this year in Brandon Woodruff due to injury. All-Star closer Devin Williams has yet to pitch, either, and is not likely back until after the All-Star break due to injury.
Yet the Brewers are favourites to win the Central again (they lead it by 6.5 games) as Pat Murphy – Counsell’s long-time friend and former bench coach – is an NL Manager of the Year leading candidate. Murphy was Counsell’s college coach at Notre Dame and came to Milwaukee as bench coach in 2016, when Counsell was going into his first full season as the team’s manager.
Last year, the Blue Jays took two of three at home vs. the Brewers. Toronto’s last trip to Milwaukee was 2022, and it lost two of three.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays have won four of five after winning a series in Oakland on Sunday with a 6-4 victory in 10 innings and have a chance to get back to .500 tonight. Isiah Kiner-Falefa was the offensive star, going 2-for-3 with a career-high five RBIs. He’s batting .344 over his past 18 games. Génesis Cabrera pitched the bottom of the 10th and picked up his first save since 2022. Yimi Garcia has been closing with Jordan Romano on the injured list and worked a scoreless ninth in a tie game.
It’s righty Jose Berrios (5-4, 2.80 ERA) on the hill Monday. He had a fifth straight quality start last Wednesday in a no-decision vs. Baltimore, allowing two runs over six. Other than allowing eight runs over 3.2 innings in Philadelphia on May 7, Berrios has given up three or fewer runs in each of his other 12 starts. Berrios hasn’t faced the Brewers since 2022 and is 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA in four career starts against them. Jake Bauers has faced him the most, going 2-for-14 with a homer. Former NL MVP Christian Yelich is 0-for-9 off Berrios. Toronto is 5-1 in its past six road games.
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee finished a six-game road trip at 2-4 following a 10-2 loss in Detroit on Sunday as the Brewers were shut down by AL Cy Young contender Tarik Skubal. The NL Central leaders hadn’t allowed double-digit runs since April 28. Catcher and sometimes designated hitter William Contreras had his streak of 101 consecutive games played — all starts — snapped as he got the day off after hitting .157 in the previous 12 games. The last primary catcher to exceed that streak was Salvador Perez of Kansas City with 122 straight from 2020-21. Contreras was a designated hitter for 23 of those 101 games.
It’s righty Colin Rea (4-2, 3.53) on the hill Monday. He has allowed only three earned runs over his past three outings but also hasn’t gone more than 5.2 innings in any. Rea isn’t a guy who goes more than six generally speaking. At home this year he’s 2-1 with a 3.07 ERA. The 33-year-old’s lone career start vs. Toronto was way back in 2016 at Rogers Centre, and he allowed three runs over six. The current Blue Jays player to have seen him the most is Justin Turner, who is 1-for-7. The Brewers are 18-10 at home, going 6-2-1 in series play.
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