Toronto Blue Jays vs
Pittsburgh PiratesPredictions & Preview

Blue Jays vs. Pirates: Toronto Set to Dominate Second Game of Series with Strong Pitching and Absent Star Player

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates are facing off in the second game of a three-game series of interleague play. The Blue Jays will have Max Scherzer on the mound, who has a 3.83 ERA, while the Pirates will start Mitch Keller, who has a 4.13 ERA. The game is scheduled to start at 6:40 EST. Stay tuned for our prediction on the outcome of this matchup, and for more winning tips.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Blue Jays -142 | Pirates +125
• Spread: Blue Jays -1.5 (+115) | Pirates +1.5 (-135)
• Total: Over/Under 8 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Toronto will win straight-up is 59%.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are currently leading the American League with the best record, just a half game ahead of the Tigers. However, they are trailing the Brewers by 6.5 games for the best record in the league. In their recent series against the Rangers, they won two of three games but missed out on a sweep in the last game, giving up 10 runs on 15 hits. Despite the loss, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer hit two-run home runs each. Guerrero recently signed a contract extension and is having a strong season with 21 home runs and a .300 batting average. Meanwhile, Springer hit his 19th home run and has a .290 batting average. Max Scherzer, a 41-year old right hander, will make his 11th start with a 3-2 record and a 3.83 ERA. In his last start, he only gave up one run in seven innings in a win over the Cubs.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently in last place in the NL Central and are facing a significant deficit that is unlikely to improve throughout the remainder of the season. They are nine games behind the fourth-place Cardinals and 14.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. Despite losing two out of three games against the Cubs on the road, the Pirates showed some promising performances, such as Spencer Horwitz's RBI-double in Sunday's game.

Spencer Horwitz, a 27-year-old first baseman in his first season with the Pirates, has contributed five home runs and 34 RBIs to the team. O'Neil Cruz, their top power hitter, is currently on the Injured List, leaving Bryan Reynolds as the team's top power hitter with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs. Reynolds batted third and took the designated hitter spot in Sunday's game.

Mitch Keller, a 29-year-old right-handed pitcher, will make his 26th start of the season with a 5-11 record. Despite his record, the team has won in four of his last five starts. Keller holds a 4.13 ERA and a 112-39 strikeout to walk ratio. In his last start against the Brewers, he gave up six runs in four innings in a loss.

Toronto Blue Jays Set to Dominate Game Against Pittsburgh Pirates Thanks to Strong Pitching and Absent Star Player

The Toronto Blue Jays have a strong advantage in the upcoming game, with a future Hall of Famer on the mound and their key opponent missing a key player in the lineup. Despite Max Scherzer's age, he has been performing exceptionally well recently, allowing just two or fewer runs in his last three starts and maintaining a strong ERA of 3.83. Toronto's offensive capabilities and Scherzer's pitching strength position them well against Pittsburgh's lineup. Additionally, the absence of O'neil Cruz further weakens the Pirates, who already lag far behind in the NL Central division standings. The Blue Jays are expected to dominate this matchup, making them a favorable choice to cover the runline.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]