Baltimore Orioles vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
Runs might be at a premium Monday when the Baltimore Orioles open a series in Toronto with two vey good right-handed pitchers scheduled to start in the Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez and Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman.
The O’s are short favourites to win on the MLB odds.
Betting Analysis
This game starts an eight-game road trip for the Birds, who are one of the best road teams in the majors at 16-8. Every other club has double-digit away losses. I expect Baltimore and the New York Yankees to battle all season for the AL East title and whichever doesn’t get it will absolutely earn a wild-card spot barring major injury.
It’s the last series between the clubs until after the All-Star break. They played two games in Baltimore in mid-May (a third was postponed by rain) and they split 3-2 decisions. Toronto had every chance to sweep, but closer Jordan Romano allowed a walk-off two-run homer to Orioles All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman in the bottom of the ninth of the finale. Rutschman was 4-for-8 in the series with three homers and four RBIs. AL MVP candidate Gunnar Henderson was 0-for-7 with two strikeouts.
Bo Bichette had a huge series for the Jays, going 5-for-7 with a double. Daulton Varsho had Toronto’s lone homer of the series.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles probably should be entering Monday on a four-game winning streak and off a home sweep of Tampa Bay over the weekend but they blew a 3-0 lead in the finale Sunday and lost 4-3 – only Baltimore’s second loss in the past 10. Second baseman Jorge Mateo was removed with an apparent head injury. The Orioles have been above .500 in eight consecutive full months since the start of 2023, the longest streak by the team (minimum 10 games played in the month) since May 1982 through September 1983 (11). They are unbeaten in 19 straight series against AL East opponents, going 14-0-5 in that time.
It’s right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (5-2, 3.53 ERA) on the hill here. He took a loss last time out at home vs. Boston, allowing four runs (second most of year) over six innings. The 24-year-old didn’t face Toronto in the first series and is 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 16.2 innings in three career starts vs. the Jays. George Springer is 2-for-7 with a homer off him.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto took two of three at home vs. Pittsburgh over the weekend, its second straight series win. Something rather unusual happened in Sunday’s finale as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made his first start at third base since 2019. Regular third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa started at second and Justin Turner was at first. Toronto put closer Jordan Romano the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow over the weekend and called up lefty Brendon Little was called up from Triple-A Buffalo to take Romano’s roster spot. It’s the second time this season that Romano has been sidelined with elbow inflammation, as his first stint on the injured list delayed his 2024 debut until April 16. It has been a really rough season for Romano as he’s 1-2 with a 6.59 ERA.
It’s Kevin Gausman (4-3, 4.14 ERA) starting Monday. The one-time Cy Young favourite appears to be turning a corner with only five earned runs allowed in his past three outings. Gausman didn’t see the Orioles, one of his former teams, earlier this season and is 1-3 with a 4.61 ERA in five career starts against them. Ryan Mountcastle is 6-for-14 with a double and four RBIs off him.
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