Toronto Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Guardians: Odds, Prediction
These teams split four games at Progressive Field in 2023. The Jays last won a series there in 2021, taking two of three.
Jays vs. Guardians Betting Analysis
Bet on Blue Jays vs. Guardians
Toronto won two of three at home vs. Cleveland last weekend, dropping the opener 3-1 but winning the final two by scores of 5-0 and 7-6. Ernie Clement had a strong series in going 4-for-6 with two doubles, a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 4-for-11 with a run scored. Shortstop Bo Bichette played just one of the three and was hitless. Bichette landed on the injured list earlier this week with a right calf strain. The two-time All-Star is batting a career-worst .237 with four home runs and 28 RBIs in 66 games.
Steven Kwan led the Guardians in the first series by going 8-for-13 and would lead the majors with his .396 average overall but doesn’t have quite enough at-bats to qualify. All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez played in just Game 1 of the series with the Jays after landing on the paternity list but is off it now.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays were swept three games to open this week at home by Boston, the first time they were swept all season. The past eight series between Boston and Toronto have all been sweeps. The Blue Jays made four errors in Wednesday’s 7-3 loss and are now 9-20 when committing at least one error in a game this year. They also remain short-handed in the back end of the bullpen with closer Jordan Romano still on the injured list and his replacement, Yimi Garcia, joining him on Monday in no surprise with Garcia dealing with right elbow ulnar neuritis. That can lead to Tommy John surgery, but an MRI showed no structural damage. Chad Green is currently operating as the closer.
It’s not 100 per cent clear who starts on Friday as of this writing as the No. 5 spot is a gaping hole currently with Alek Manoah out for the season. It might be rookie righty Yariel Rodriguez. The 27-year-old is 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA in four starts this year but hasn’t faced Cleveland. Rodriguez has not pitched in the Show since late April due to back troubles but completed his minor-league rehab at Triple-A Buffalo last Sunday with 79 pitches. It’s also possible that Rodriguez follows pseudo-opener Trevor Richards (1-0, 2.92 ERA). He last threw two scoreless innings in relief of Yusei Kikuchi on Monday against Boston. Richards opened last Saturday vs. Cleveland and didn’t allow a run in 2.1 innings.
Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland took two of three at home vs. AL West-leading Seattle to open this week. The Guardians did use All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase for Thursday’s finale, the second straight game that Clase pitched so he might not be available Friday. Leadoff hitter Steven Kwan has hit in 13 straight games since coming off the injured list May 31, the longest hitting streak in the AL and second-longest of his career. Kwan is the third Cleveland hitter to bat .392-or-better through the club’s first 71 games of a season and the first since Tris Speaker in 1921.
It’s veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco (2-6, 5.80 ERA) on the mound Friday. The 36-year-old pitched in Toronto last Saturday and allowed five runs and six hits over five innings in a loss. It was the fourth time in Carrasco’s past eight starts he had given up at least five innings. He probably will be bumped from the rotation once Gavin Williams returns from the injured list. George Springer has seen Carrasco the most of an Blue Jay, going 6-for-23 with two doubles.
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