Toronto Blue Jays vs. Minnesota Twins: Betting Odds, Prediction
The Twins are priced as -115 favourites on the MLB odds.
Jays vs. Twins Wild Card Betting Analysis
Toronto did win the 2016 wild card game over visiting Baltimore, but the Jays are 0-4 in the newer wild card series, getting swept two at Tampa Bay in 2020 and swept two at home last year by Seattle.
Minnesota is in the playoffs for the first time since being swept in the 2020 wild card series by Houston. The Twins have lost an incredible 18 straight playoff games (most of those against the Yankees) with their last win in 2004. That skid is the longest losing streak in major American professional sports history. The next longest in baseball is 13, by the 1986-98 Red Sox.
It’s the first-ever postseason matchup between Minnesota and Toronto – the teams hold spring training not too far from one another on the gulf coast of Florida. They split six regular-season meetings and the Jays took two of three at Target Field from May 26-28. Bo Bichette hit .333 with two homers and seven RBIs vs. Twins pitching. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had just two RBIs and a .160 average.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays slotted into the sixth and final seed in the AL playoffs with Sunday’s results – Toronto manager John Schneider opted to sit most regulars Sunday, a home loss to Tampa Bay. The Jays, who finished 30-20-2 in series play, are making consecutive trips to the postseason for the first time since 2015-16 and the second time since winning the 1992 and 1993 World Series. Because Sunday’s game became meaningless with Toronto clinching a playoff spot Saturday, it was able to hold back ace Kevin Gausman (12-9, 3.16 ERA) and will use him in Game 1. Gausman enters off back-to-back shutouts against the Yankees spanning 13 innings with just six hits allowed. The right-hander is 1-0 in two starts this year against the Twins despite a 6.30 ERA. Gausman lost his lone 2022 playoff start and is 0-1 with a 4.57 ERA in 21.2 career postseason innings.
Minnesota Twins
The AL third-seeded Twins won the Central Division by nine games over second-place Detroit and haven’t really had an important game in a while. Minnesota had a very good offensive season that was surprising in that the team’s two big high-priced stars, shortstop Carlos Correa and outfielder Byron Buxton, had disappointing years at the plate. They are both on the IL. Correa will be ready for this series but Buxton might not be on the roster. Infielder Royce Lewis, the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, also is on the IL but should be activated. He may be limited to DH duties. The Twins had 12 players hit 10 or more homers this year, a club record. They had 12 players with 40 or more RBIs, tied for the most by any team in the expansion era (since 1961, when the franchise relocated to Minnesota). Right-hander Pablo Lopez (11-8, 3.66) will start on the mound. It will be his second career postseason outing. While with the Marlins, he allowed two runs over five innings of a loss in the 2020 NLDS. His lone start this year vs. Toronto was on May 27 in Target Field with Lopez allowing four runs over 5.2 innings in a victory.