Toronto Blue Jays vs. San Diego Padres: Odds, Prediction
The Toronto Blue Jays open their final series ahead of the All-Star break on Friday night looking for a third straight victory as they visit San Diego.
The Padres are short favourites on the MLB odds with a total of 8.5 runs.
MLB Betting Odds and Trends
As with the Giants team the Blue Jays just finished visiting in San Francisco in the NL West, the Padres play in one of nicest parks in baseball, too. It’s pitcher-friendly Petco Park and pretty much sells out every night these days as now the Padres are the only major professional sports team in San Diego. A.J. Preller is the President of Baseball Operations and general manager of the Padres, and he’s one of the most aggressive guys every year at the trade deadline.
Preller will trade any top prospect he has for a quality win-now veteran. And it largely worked with the team having made the playoffs the past two seasons and four of the past six — but still no World Series trip since 1999. The Padres, Brewers, Rockies, Mariners and Rays are the only active franchises to never win a Fall Classic, and doubtful any of those droughts end – Colorado’s certainly will not.
The Padres currently are in a tie for second in the NL West, 14.5 games behind the first-place and powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers so it’s wild card or bust. The team is a +340 underdog for extra baseball sitting four games out of the NL’s last spot.
Toronto swept a three-game home set vs. the Padres in 2025 and won two of three in its last trip to Petco Park two years ago.
Toronto Blue Jays
Quite the turnaround for Toronto in San Francisco to open this week. After the team’s offensive struggled continued in Monday’s blowout loss, the Jays outscored the Giants 19-3 in winning the next two games.
Of course, the big news from Wednesday was Dylan Cease taking a no-hitter into the ninth but immediately losing it. Because Cease went so deep and then Thursday’s day off, the Toronto bullpen is about as fresh as it has been all season.
Thus, manager John Schneider might use his relievers quite a bit this weekend with also then the All-Star break. Also Wednesday, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ended a 17-game home-run drought. A reminder that he was named an All-Star starter at first base for next Tuesday’s game next week but won’t play to help rehabilitate an ongoing lower back issue.
Struggling righty Shane Bieber (0-1, 9.00 ERA) takes the hill Friday. He has made three starts this year, and Toronto has lost them all with batters hitting a robust .351 off Bieber. Expect a very, very short leash. San Diego’s Gavin Sheets has had some career success off Bieber at 5-for-18 with two doubles and a homer. The Jays are 4-10 in their past 14 as underdogs.
San Diego Padres
Since an eight-game losing streak, the Padres have won three of five. While the Jays were off Thursday, San Diego lost at home to Arizona and managed only three hits. Manny Machado accounted for the lone run with his 19th homer of the year, but Machado is hitting a scant .193.
The Padres didn’t use unhittable closer Mason Miller on Thursday, so he’ll be ready Friday. Miller has been incredible at 2-1 with a 0.96 ERA, 23 saves and 69 strikeouts in 37.2 innings. If he’s in and the Padres are winning, game over.
Left-hander JP Sears (2-1, 4.70 ERA) starts on the mound. He began the year in the minors and was called up in late June – due to injuries in the San Diego rotation — and has made three starts.
Sears comes off easily the best of the trio with five shutout innings in a surprising win at the Los Angeles Dodgers. In four career appearances vs. Toronto (three starts) spanning 18.0 innings, Sears is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. Daulton Varsho is 3-for-5 off him with a solo homer but George Springer 1-for-10 with three Ks. San Diego is 9-4 in its past 13 vs. the American League.
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