Toronto Blue Jays vs. Minnesota Twins: Odds, Prediction
It’s a potential playoff preview this weekend when the Toronto Blue Jays visit the Minnesota Twins for a four-game set. Good pitching matchup for Thursday’s opener with the Jays as short favourites on the MLB odds.
Betting Analysis
Remember, there is a new playoff format this season and going forward with three Wild-Card teams in each league. The top two division winners get a first-round bye, and in the American League that’s going to be the Yankees and Astros. The third-best division winner hosts the Wild-Card team with the worst record and then the top two Wild-Card teams face off. Thus, Toronto and Minnesota could easily meet in October as both are extremely likely to be playing in the postseason.
When the Twins were at Rogers Centre in early June, they won two of three – all were very high scoring. Toronto hit .286 with nine home runs. Alejandro Kirk was 3-for-7 with two homers and four runs scored. George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also had two homers each. The Twins .312 in the series with eight home runs. Luis Arraez was 6-for-9 with four runs scored. Kyle Garlick and Jose Miranda each went yard twice.
Toronto was 2-2 at Minnesota last season.
Toronto Blue Jays
Could trade acquisition Whit Merrifield from Kansas City make his Jays debut on Thursday? The 30-year-old speedster was acquired Tuesday from Kansas City for infielder Samad Taylor and pitcher Max Castillo but didn’t play Wednesday in the Blue Jays’ 3-2 loss at Tampa Bay. Merrifield could be used in place of Springer in the outfield as Springer hasn’t played since Saturday due to an elbow issue. Lourdes Gurriel has been hitting leadoff. Wednesday’s loss dropped Toronto back under. 500 on the road at 24-25.
Ace Alek Manoah (11-5, 2.43 ERA) is scheduled on the mound Thursday. The right-hander wasn’t sharp last Friday vs. Detroit, allowing four runs over 5.1 innings in a loss. He missed the Twins in the first series. Byron Buxton is 1-for-2 off him with a solo homer. Toronto has won four straight series openers.
Minnesota Twins
The AL Central-leading Twins lead the Guardians by a game and the White Sox by two. Minnesota was fairly busy at the Trade Deadline by landing starting pitcher Tyler Mahle (expected to pitch Friday against former Twin Jose Berrios) and relievers Jorge Lopez and Michael Fulmer. Lopez was an All-Star this year for the Orioles and made his Minnesota debut Wednesday and collected a save in a 4-1 win vs. Detroit. Fulmer also pitched a scoreless inning in his Twins debut. Byron Buxton returned after missing two games and was 1-for-3. The All-Star leads the club with 26 homers. Arraez leads the team and the American League with a .329 average.
It’s right-hander Sonny Gray (6-3, 3.41 ERA) on the mound. He has allowed just two earned runs and seven hits over 11 innings in his past two but didn’t face the Jays in June. This will be his 14th career appearance vs. Toronto but first since 2018 while with the Yankees. Gray is 4-4 with a 3.20 ERA in 70.1 innings. Matt Chapman is 2-for-4 with a homer off him. Teoscar Hernandez has two homers in 11 at-bats. The Twins are 1-7 in their past eight Thursday games.
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