With only two series left in the regular season, playoff berths look increasingly unlikely for both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles, but both teams are technically still in the hunt as they begin a three-game series at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Monday.
The Orioles' season is more or less over at 75-81, given they are still five games back of the final American League wild-card spot with six games remaining, and the Blue Jays, at 77-79, still have a slim hope of taking the sixth spot but they are three games behind and basically need to win out and hope for a real collapse from the Cleveland Guardians (81-75) or Chicago White Sox (80-76) in the Central division.
The teams have the misfortune to play in one of the tougher divisions in the league, with the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox all having clinched playoff spots already.
Blue Jays vs. Orioles betting picks and predictions
Over 7.5 runs (-110)
With nothing left to lose at this late stage of the season, both teams' hitters will look to boost their stats before the campaign ends, and they should have a decent chance against a shaky pair of starting pitchers.
There's nothing to choose between the teams on the money line as the Blue Jays have lost four of their last six games while the Orioles have just been swept 3-0 by the Brewers.
Baltimore were shut out in their last two games, but their first loss in the series was by a score of 6-5, and we could see another match-up with the hitters coming out on top at Camden Yards.
Shane Baz is set to start for Baltimore and while he has pitched the most innings for the team this season with 173, there have been plenty of bad ones and he has given up 174 hits, has a 6-15 win-loss record and an ERA of 4.11.
In his latest start against the Mets last Wednesday, Baz gave up seven hits and three runs in just four innings, while his previous start a week earlier led to six hits and five runs for the Guardians in 5.2 innings.
Baz also struggled the last time he faced the Toronto lineup in June, allowing seven hits and five runs in 5.2 innings in a 6-4 win for the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays are taking a risk with their choice of starting pitcher as Trey Yesavage returns from injury after one unconvincing rehab start.
Even if it goes well, he is expected to play only around three innings before handing over to the Toronto bullpen and that leaves them vulnerable to a Baltimore lineup headed by the dangerous Pete Alonso, who has hit 38 home runs in his first season since leaving the Mets.
Blue Jays -1.5 run line (+160)
A bet on the total is preferred to one on the match outcome, but the value for those who want to pick a side could lie with the Blue Jays -1.5 run line.
The Canadian club have been made favourites for the last six games between the teams and they came through in four of them, winning each series 2-1.
Notably, all four of those wins came by multiple runs, with scores of 6-4, 6-4, 7-3 and 8-1, so taking the run line is preferred to a money line wager.
Kazuma Okamoto to hit a home run (+650)
With hitters likely to get the better of pitchers in Monday's series opener in Baltimore, Toronto's Kazuma Okamoto is an interesting option to hit a home run at +650 odds.
The Japanese star has hit more than twice as many homers as any other player on the team with 33, and while he has gone five games without clearing the fences, he is still in decent form with hits in eight of his last nine games.
Okamoto hit two home runs in the Blue Jays' last series against the Orioles and is a nice price to add to his tally.
Read more betting picks and predictions for the MLB on site.
Blue Jays vs. Orioles Odds
Toronto Blue Jays | -110 |
Baltimore Orioles | -110 |
Run Line | TOR Blue Jays -1.5 |
Total | O/U 7.5 |
Blue Jays vs. Orioles player props
Player Home Run Odds
Pete Alonso (BAL Orioles) | +350 |
Coby Mayo (BAL Orioles) | +500 |
Samuel Basallo (BAL Orioles) | +550 |
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (BAL Orioles) | +600 |
Kazuma Okamoto (TOR Blue Jays) | +650 |
George Springer (TOR Blue Jays) | +750 |
