Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
The Jays are -145 favourites to win on the MLB odds behind rookie pitcher Yariel Rodriguez.
Betting Analysis
Barring a playoff matchup, this series will be the last time the Royals and Blue Jays see one another in 2024. Kansas City is the second team Toronto has seen twice so far. The Blue Jays lost two of three at the Yankees from April 5-7 but then took two of three at home vs. New York from April 15-17.
These clubs played a four-game set in Kansas City starting April 22 and Toronto won the first 5-3 but lost the next three, all by one run and the finale last Thursday shortened to five innings due to rain. Bit of bad luck there for the Jays as if they were going back to KC this year, the game is probably suspended instead of being called as a Toronto loss.
Justin Turner was 4-for-9 in the first series vs. the Royals, while Daulton Varsho was 4-for-10 with a homer and two RBIs. Bo Bichette was only 2-for-15, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2-for-14 with five strikeouts. Salvador Perez leads the Royals in batting .462 against the Jays this season with a homer and three RBIs. Maikel Garcia is 5-for-13 with a homer, three RBIs and two steals in the series.
Toronto was 3-0 at Rogers Centre vs. Kansas City last season and hasn’t lost a home series vs. the Royals since 2017.
Kansas City Royals
Kansas City enters on a two-game skid following a 4-1 loss in Detroit on Sunday. All-Star catcher Salvador Perez walked in the ninth, extending his on-base streak to 18 games. The 33-year-old is off to a fabulous start at the plate, batting .340 with seven homers and 26 RBIs. The Royals already have five blown lead losses this season and three they lost when leading by at least three. In 2023, Kansas City lost 50 games in which it held a lead but only blew a lead of at least three runs eight times.
Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan is set for season debut on the mound as he will be recalled from Triple-A Omaha and take the spot of the injured Alec Marsh. Bowlan was 3-1 this year at Omaha with a 2.57 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 21 innings. Bowlan made his big-league debut in 2023 with a total of three innings pitched over two games and was 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA.
“He’s thrown the ball well, and he is somebody that we have built up as a starter for reasons like this,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Bowlan. “And, you know, hopefully this is a short-term thing, but you never know what happens here. We feel really good about him, that’s first and foremost, and he’s been off to a good start.”
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto stopped a five-game skid and avoided a home sweep vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-1 win on Sunday behind seven strong innings from Kevin Gausman. Alejandro Kirk went 3-for-3 for the Jays, hitting his first homer of the season in the second inning. They improved to 4-12 this year when scoring three or fewer runs.
It’s rookie right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (0-1, 3.86 ERA) on the hill Monday. He has yet to last five full innings and even qualify for a win. He pitched in Kansas City last Wednesday and took the loss, allowing three runs and six hits over four. Rodriguez is expected to go to the bullpen once Alek Manoah returns from his minor-league rehab stint.
Closer Jordan Romano might not be available Monday after getting the save Sunday as it was his second straight game pitching.