Blue Jays vs. Phillies: MLB Prediction, Baseball Betting Odds

Payton Matthews | Updated May 25, 2018

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Josh Donaldson has had success against Saturday afternoon's starter for Phildelphia. Can he help the Blue Jays snap out of their slump?

Toronto
73-89
AT
May 26, 2018, 4:05 PM ET
Citizens Bank Park
Philadelphia
80-82
Runline +1.5 -110
Moneyline +170
Over / Under o +8.5

39%

Betting Action

61%

Matchup MLB Odds
Runline -1.5 -110
Moneyline -205
Over / Under u +8.5

39%

Betting Action

61%

Matchup MLB Odds

The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t won a series since the start of May. Will that change this weekend in Philadelphia? Game 2 of the three-game interleague set is Saturday afternoon.

Blue Jays vs. Phillies Betting Analysis

The Blue Jays’ last series victory was April 30-May 2 at the Twins. Toronto is 0-5-2 in the seven series since. It’s the first time the team has gone winless in seven straight series since April 3-27 last year. Toronto had the third-best May record in 2017 but has the second-worst so far this year.

Toronto will activate veteran left-hander Jaime Garcia off the disabled list to start in this MLB matchup. Garcia (2-3, 6.28) last pitched May 15 and was shelled for six runs in just 3.2 innings of a blowout loss at the Mets. He then went on the shelf with shoulder inflammation but felt good after a side session Thursday and will miss just one start. Garcia has been ghastly in four road starts with a 1-2 record and 9.68 ERA (compared to 3.43 in four home starts). He is 3-5 with a 2.92 ERA in 12 career appearances (10 starts) vs. the Phillies.

Philadelphia’s ace is 24-year-old Aaron Nola, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 draft. Nola (6-2, 2.37) is among the NL leaders in wins, innings (64.2), ERA and WHIP (1.02). He has surrendered more than four earned just once all season and it was last Sunday in St. Louis when he gave up four runs over six. He had been 5-0 in his previous five outings with a 1.83 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 34.1 innings. At home this season, the right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.06 ERA. He hasn’t faced an American League team in 2018. Nola is 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in two career starts vs. Toronto. The Phils have won 13 of his past 16 overall at home.

Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto has played Philadelphia almost annually since interleague play began. The Jays won last season’s series 3-1 and haven’t lost one to the Phillies since 2011; the teams have played every year since 2006 but 2013. The clubs of course met in the playoffs once, the memorable (for Phillies fans) 1993 World Series. The Jays entered this series 1-1 in interleague play this year, splitting two at the Mets from May 15-16 (we correctly predicted the winning side in each game). Josh Donaldson is 3-for-3 career off Nola with a homer. Kendrys Morales is 1-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs, but he’s likely not starting with no designated hitter available in the NL park for this MLB matchup. Toronto has lost six Saturday games in a row.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies entered the series with the National League’s best home record at 18-7. It’s the best 25-game start in the history of Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia has the NL’s best overall record since starting the year 1-4. Last May, the Phils were just 6-22 but already have doubled that win total this month. The team should finish with its first winning May since 2012. Since 2013, the Phillies haven’t had a single month finishing at least six games over .500 (15-10 in April). Odubel Herrera, the Phillies’ leading hitter by far, has seen Garcia the most of anyone on the team and is 3-for-10 with a double. No Philadelphia batter has homered against the southpaw.

Blue Jays vs. Phillies Prediction

SportsInteraction
  • TOR
  • +170 -205
  • PHI
Matchup MLB Odds