Toronto Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Indians: Odds, Predictions and Picks

Not many national experts predicted that the wild-card Toronto Blue Jays would oust the team with the best record in the American League, the Texas Rangers, in the AL Division Series. I called a Toronto series win in four games but was dead wrong — it only took the Jays three, their first-ever postseason sweep. And now for the first time in franchise history, Toronto will face the Cleveland Indians in the playoffs, the AL Championship Series. The Blue Jays haven’t reached the World Series since repeating in 1993. Cleveland hasn’t been to the Fall Classic since 1997 or won it since 1948. The Jays are -155 on the Sports Interaction MLB series line with the Tribe at +115.

Blue Jays vs. Indians Odds and Schedule

Schedule
Game 1: Friday at Cleveland, 8 p.m. ET
Game 2: Saturday at Cleveland, time TBA
Game 3: Monday at Rogers Centre, time TBA
Game 4: Oct. 18 at Rogers Centre, time TBA
Game 5 (if necessary): Oct. 19 at Rogers Centre, time TBA
Game 6 (if necessary): Oct. 21 at Cleveland, time TBA
Game 7 (if necessary): Oct. 22 at Cleveland, time TBA

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Indians

Toronto led the majors by a wide margin in runs last season but scored 132 fewer in 2016 and was ninth in baseball. However, that offense woke up in a big way in the sweep of the Rangers as the Jays outscored Texas 22-10. The Rangers’ two aces, Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish, were both ineffective. Josh Donaldson is hitting .500 in these playoffs with five runs scored and three RBIs. Edwin Encarnacion is 6-for-16 with three home runs and seven RBIs. Fellow free-agent-to-be Jose Bautista has two homers and seven RBIs. Ezequiel Carrera his batting .375 with a homer. Closer Roberto Osuna left the wild-card win over Baltimore with shoulder tightness but was lights out vs. Texas as he was 1-0 with a save and didn’t allow a run in 3.2 innings.

Injury-wise, the Blue Jays are hopeful that lefty pitcher Francisco Liriano will be available for the ALCS after suffering a concussion due to a line drive off the back of his head in the ALDS. It’s looking good for Liriano to be ready. Whether he would start a game or be used out of the bullpen remains to be seen. Second baseman Devon Travis missed the final two games vs. Texas with a sore right knee but also should be available. Reliever Joaquin Benoit, who tore a calf muscle in the final week of the regular season, isn’t likely going to pitch.

I gave the Indians little chance of beating Boston, the highest-scoring team in baseball, in the ALDS. Especially as the Tribe are without their No. 2 and No. 3 starting pitchers, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, due to injury. But the Indians ended the Hall of Fame career of Boston’s David Ortiz with a 4-3 win at Fenway Park on Monday to complete the stunning sweep. The Red Sox were held to seven runs in the series — no team had held Boston to just seven runs in a three-game series in the regular season.

Tribe ace and Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber was fantastic in his lone start and he should be lined up to pitch the opener vs. Toronto. The Cleveland bullpen also did the job vs. Boston. Andrew Miller, acquired from the Yankees around the trade deadline, threw four scoreless innings in the series. Cody Allen didn’t give up a run in three innings and had two saves. It’s possible that Salazar (forearm) could be available out of the bullpen in this series.

Cleveland and Toronto split four games at Rogers Centre from June 30-July 3. The Blue Jays lost two of three (all one-run games) at Progressive field in mid-August. The Indians were largely built by current Blue Jays team president Mark Shapiro.

Troy Tulowitzki hit well vs. the Indians this year, going 9-for-22 in five games with two homers and six knocked in. Donaldson had eight hits in 21 at-bats with two homers. Russell Martin had three home runs and eight RBIs. Encarnacion had two homers. Bautista missed both series due to injury.

ALCS & World Series Odds

The favoured result for total games in the series is both six and seven at +180. A sweep is a +550 long shot. The Jays winning 4-2 has the shortest price on the series correct score at +400. Indians in seven is next at +405. Toronto is +187 to win the World Series with the Tribe at +330.

MLB Playoffs Pick

If Carrasco and Salazar were healthy, the Indians would likely be the pick here considering they also have home-field advantage. Without them, the Tribe essentially have to win Kluber’s two starts (assuming he can’t make three) to have a shot because the Jays would have the pitching edge in every other game. But Kluber himself is coming off injury. Go with Toronto in seven games at +455 on MLB odds.