Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
The Blue Jays start August by welcoming the AL wild-card-hopeful Kansas City Royals for a three-game set starting on Friday night. Toronto is a -155 favourite on the MLB odds with a total of 8 runs.
Royals vs. Jays Aug 1st Betting Analysis
It’s not out of the question this is a playoff preview if the Blue Jays indeed hang on and win the AL East and the Royals are able to snatch a wild-card spot and the seeds match up. While Toronto is a -170 favorite for the division, Kansas City is a +450 underdog for a playoff spot with no at -700. So, there’s work to be done. The franchise ended an eight-season playoff drought last year, losing in four games in the ALDS to the New York Yankees.
The Royals were one of those teams a bit on the fence at the trade deadline. One of their biggest pieces considered available was veteran righty starting pitcher Seth Lugo, but he was given a two-year extension earlier this week so he stayed put. Kansas City recently got some bad news when one of the biggest surprise pitchers in the AL this year, lefty Kris Bubic (8-7, 2.55 ERA), was lost to a season-ending shoulder injury. Ace lefty Cole Ragans hasn’t thrown in the majors due to early June because of injury.
Even thought Friday is the first day of August, this is the first meeting of the season between these teams with the Royals visiting Rogers Centre for three from Sept. 19-21. Last year, Kansas City won five of seven total meetings and three of four at home. Toronto had won the series each of the previous five seasons (excluding the 2020 COVID year).
Kansas City Royals
The Royals added a few pitchers at the deadline and dealt a backup catcher as they look to get back to .500 tonight for the first time since sitting 38-38 after the games of June 20. This stretch probably tells us whether K.C. is a true wild-card threat as after three in Toronto, it plays three in Boston and then three at Minnesota. The Royals are a game under .500 away. Leadoff hitter and second baseman Jonathan India is in some question after missing Wednesday’s game with a sore shoulder. Touted rookie slugger Jac Caglianone is on the injured list with a hamstring injury.
Veteran right-hander Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.53 ERA) takes the mound Friday. He has allowed exactly one earned run in three straight starts and just eight total hits over 16.1 innings in that span – but got a no-decision in each. Wacha has been much worse on the road at 2-5 with a 4.53 ERA and .259 opponents’ batting average. The 34-year-old is 1-2 with a 5.20 ERA in eight appearances spanning 36.1 innings vs. the Blue Jays. Bo Bichette is 5-for-13 off him with a homer. Kansas City is 4-16 in its past 20 in Toronto.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays acquired reliever Seranthony Dominquez from the Orioles during Tuesday’s doubleheader in Baltimore – he only had to change dugouts between games – and made a much more significant trade Thursday in landing starting pitcher and 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber from Cleveland. The catch there is that Bieber hasn’t pitched in the Show since April 2024 due to Tommy John surgery but he’s close to a return in the final stages of his rehab. The upside is potentially huge even if limited innings this year still. While we will not see Bieber tonight, it could be the Jays debut of Thursday’s trade acquisitions in 1B/DH Ty France and reliever Louis Varland, who came from the Twins. All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk remains on the seven-day concussion injured list but should be back for Sunday’s series finale.
Righty Kevin Gausman (7-7, 3.82 ERA) is scheduled on the mound Friday. Always hard to know which version of Gausman shows up as he’s wildly unpredictable, but the good version was around in July when Gausman had a 2.51 ERA in five starts – the Jays were 4-1 in those. In his past two outings combined, coming against lock playoff teams in the Yankees and Tigers, Gausman allowed just one run and five hits with 18 strikeouts over 13 innings. In five career starts vs. the Royals, he’s 2-2 with a 2.40 ERA. Kansas City All-Star Bobby Witt Jr. is 4-for-12 off him with a double and homer. The Jays are 12-1 in their past 13 at home.
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