Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
The Boston Red Sox were the first MLB team to fire their manager this season and are 1-0 since doing so as they visit the Blue Jays on Monday to open a three-game series. Behind Dylan Ceasze, Toronto is a -140 favourite on the MLB odds with a total of seven runs.
Betting Analysis
Boston has been one of the American League’s biggest disappointments and that cost highly-regarded manager Alex Cora his job on Saturday – oddly enough, fired following a 17-1 blowout win in Baltimore. Cora won’t have much trouble finding another job, but the Sox pretty much fired everyone else with him: Bench coach Ramón Vázquez, hitting coach Peter Fatse, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin also were dismissed.
Chad Tracy, a former big-league player, was named the interim manager. He had been the manager of Boston’s Triple-A affiliate in Worcester since 2022. Chad Epperson was named interim third-base coach, and Collin Hetzler joined the staff as a hitting coach.
All those moves clearly caught some players off-guard, and perhaps no one was more outspoken about it than veteran shortstop Trevor Story, the former Blue Jay. He said this after chief baseball officer Craig Breslow informed the team of the moves:
“It’s up in the air what the true direction of the franchise is. Some of the best coaches in the world didn’t get a fair shot.”
Toronto had dropped back-to-back season series vs. the Red Sox but put a stop to that in 2025 by taking eight of 13 games – splitting six at Rogers Centre.
Boston Red Sox
So far, so good for the Sox under their new manager as they won again Sunday in Baltimore, 5-3. Willson Contreras hit his sixth home run of the season and second in as many games. Very promising young outfielder Roman Anthony returned to Boston’s lineup after missing four games with back issues, but shortstop Trevor Story missed his first game of the year with an adductor issue. He’s day-to-day.
Lefty Ranger Suarez, one of the team’s big offseason free-agent additions, is scheduled on the mound Monday. He has not lived up to that five-year, $130 million (US) contract so far at 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA in five starts. Suarez has had two really good starts and three poor ones. He is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 9.1 career innings spanning two appearances vs. Toronto.
Ernie Clement is 2-for-3 career off Suarez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 0-for-4. The Sox are a good defensive team and have committed only four errors over their past 17 games. Boston eyes its first three-game winning streak of the season.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays won their second game in a row Sunday, 4-2 over visiting Cleveland. Louis Varland got the save in both so he’s probably not available Monday. Jeff Hoffman, who was recently moved out of the closer role, pitched a scoreless eighth inning Sunday. Outfielder Yohendrick Pinango got his first big-league start and was 1-for-2. He was called up to the majors Saturday after Nathan Lukes (hamstring) was placed on the injured list.
Righty Dylan Cease (1-0, 2.10 ERA) takes the mound Monday. He’s among the MLB leaders in strikeouts with 44 but is still walking too many guys with 14 free passes, and that’s why Cease hasn’t been going super deep into games. Cease is 1-1 with a 6.04 ERA in six career starts vs. Boston. Willson Contreras is 3-for-12 off him with a homer and double.
