Toronto Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Guardians: Odds, Prediction
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As per the MLB odds, the Toronto Blue Jays are -130 favourites on the MLB odds for Monday’s series opener behind Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Betting Analysis
The Guardians are a hard team to figure out. They won the AL Central last year at 92-70, upset Tampa Bay in the wild card round and pushed the Yankees to five games before losing in the ALDS. That team was hugely built on the back of its excellent rotation and an MVP-calibre season from third baseman Jose Ramirez.
Most of the same characters in 2023 are back, but Cleveland is four games under .500 – yet still in the race to win the incredibly weak AL Central. The rotation has been crushed by injuries, including to former AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber. Ramirez is having another fine year at the plate.
Last week, the Guardians surprisingly sent their best healthy starter, Aaron Civale, to Tampa Bay for one of the Rays’ top hitting prospects. It is believed that Manager Terry Francona will retire after this season as he has been battling health issues in recent years. He has created a borderline Hall of Fame resume as a manger after a journeyman playing career.
Monday will be the first meeting of the season between the Guardians and Jays, with Cleveland visiting Rogers Centre for three games starting Aug. 25. Cleveland won five of seven last year.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays played without a handful of regulars on Sunday, including All-Stars Bo Bichette (injured list) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (rest) and yet still routed the Red Sox in Boston 13-1 to complete the sweep.
In his first big-league series Jays infielder Davis Schneider went nuts at 9-for-13 with two homers, five RBIs and three runs scored. He became the first player in MLB history to have nine hits and two homers in his first three career games. Guerrero Jr. should play tonight. Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier left Sunday with a contusion on his arm and may need a game or two.
Lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-1) is scheduled to make his second start of the year for Toronto off Tommy John surgery in June 2022. Ryu returned in Toronto against Baltimore last Tuesday and allowed four runs and nine hits in five-plus innings, leaving after a leadoff homer in the top of the sixth. He is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three career starts against Cleveland, last facing it in 2021 at Rogers Centre. Not many current Guardians have seen him in action. Kole Calhoun is 3-for-6 with a double and homer, and Jose Ramirez is 2-for-6.
Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland enters with just two wins in its past nine and off a horrible loss Sunday at home to Chicago as All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase blew the ninth-inning save, although his defence let him down. The Guardians could be missing their two biggest offensive threats in this series. First baseman Josh Naylor landed on the IL last week with an oblique injury that may cost him up to six weeks. Naylor was on pace for a career season, batting .306 with 15 homer and 79 RBIs.
All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez is healthy but was at the centre of a brawl against the White Sox on Saturday. Ramirez decked Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson, which will be a meme forever. Multiple-game suspensions are coming for both, perhaps as early as today. Presumably, though, Ramirez will appeal, and he can play until that is heard. It’s rookie right-hander Gavin Williams (1-3, 3.38 ERA) on the hill Monday, the ninth big-league start for a 2021 first-round pick. Williams is 1-1 with a 4.21 ERA (compared to 2.12 away) in five home starts.
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