Who: Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
When: 7:05pm EST
Moneyline: Red Sox +123/Blue Jays -138
Run Line: Red Sox +1.5 (-170)/ Blue Jays -1.5 (+150)
Total: 9 (-120/+100)
Losers of their last 5 games, the Boston Red Sox head up to Canada tonight to take on division foe Toronto in a three-game series. It’s been a rough week for the Sox. Following a five-game win streak, which included a sweep of their longtime rival the New York Yankees, the Sox have dropped 7 of their last 10 contests. Now, they will look to bounce back tonight against the Jays, a team they have defeated all four times they squared off this season.`
On the other end, the Blue Jays find themselves locked in a battle for a Wild Card spot in the AL. With the division seemingly out of reach, every win is crucial for a Jays’ squad looking to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
Tonight, the Jays will send Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.60 ERA) to the mound opposite James Paxton (3-1, 3.19 ERA). Since returning from an early season injury, Paxton has been one of the more reliable starters for the Sox. He hasn’t posted a loss since May 24th, though Boston is 3-5 in games he has started this season, thanks to an inconsistent bullpen. To keep up with the offensive prowess of the Jays, the Sox bats will have to come back alive behind Masataka Yoshida, Rafael Devers, and Alex Verdugo.
For the Jays, Berrios will look to finish a solid month of June, where he went 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA. Berrios has been particularly effective at home, with a 4-1 record and a 2.48 ERA compared to a 4-4 record on the road with a 4.30 ERA. Plus, with a lineup featuring Bo Bichette, George Springer, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Berrios should have plenty of run support behind him.
When breaking down this game, it is very close to as even as a matchup you can find with a slight edge to the Jays. However, I love the value we are getting with the Red Sox. I love backing teams coming off of getting swept, which just happened to Boston against the Marlins. What’s more, the Sox have dominated the Jays this season winning all four contests against them.
