by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post
Steven Matz will seek a bounce-back start as the Toronto Blue Jays start a 10-game road trip with a series full of UNDER trends. The Blue Jays are +105 underdogs and the Oakland Athletics are -125 home favorites with an 8.5-run total on the MLB betting odds for Monday at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
From 2014 to 2019, the Blue Jays are 7-12 in away games against Oakland, with an 8-8-3 split on the totals (how the OVER/UNDER works). The teams did not meet in 2020 due to the regionalized short-season schedule Major League Baseball adopted amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Blue Jays vs Athletics | OddsShark Matchup Report
The Blue Jays are 7-11 in their last 18 away games against American League West teams, with the OVER hitting 10 times at online sports betting sites. The Athletics are 8-12 in their last 20 home games against the AL East, though, with the total going UNDER 16 times. The Blue Jays swept their last three-game visit to RingCentral Coliseum in 2019.
The Blue Jays are 14-12 in spite of a lineup that has been a moving target. Outfielder George Springer (undisclosed) was removed during Toronto’s game on Sunday, while ace lefthander Hyun Jin Ryu (right glute strain) might take one of Toronto’s two open pitching slots in this series. Toronto is scoring 4.62 runs per game and rates 12th among the 30 MLB teams with a .716 OPS. The Blue Jays pitching staff is sixth with a 3.41 earned-run average, including a 2.61 relievers’ ERA that ranks fourth-best.
The Athletics, who are 17-12, are averaging 4.21 runs per game and rank 17th with a .692 OPS. Oakland is also 17th in ERA at 4.13. Oakland’s bullpen has also been strong, ranking eighth with a 3.55 ERA.
Lefthander Steven Matz (4-1, 4.00 ERA, 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings) will start on Monday opposite Athletics righthander Frankie Montas (2-2, 6.20 ERA, 9.1 SO/9). The possible upshot for Matz after getting rocked by the Washington Nationals on April 28 is that he only threw 80 pitches. The Blue Jays are 3-0 in Matz’s away starts this season, and the total has gone UNDER in 12 of his last 17 starts on the road. Montas has never started against Toronto. Oakland is 14-6 in Montas’ last 20 home starts with the total going OVER 11 times.
The Blue Jays have not announced their starter for Tuesday, while the Athletics will use lefty Cole Irvin (2-3, 3.67 ERA, 8.3 SO/9). Irvin, a one-time Blue Jays draft choice, will be making only his ninth career MLB start, but the total has gone UNDER in six of the first eight, including two of his first three in 2021.
Lefthander Robbie Ray (1-1, 2.78 ERA, 7.9 SO/9) is slated to start opposite Chris Bassitt (2-2, 3.93 ERA, 9.4 SO/9) on Wednesday. Ray, who is approaching fastball velocities that he has not reached since he earned Cy Young Award votes in 2016, has helped the total go UNDER in four of his last six starts on the road. Bassitt has a 5.25 ERA over 12 innings against Toronto, but Oakland is 7-3 in his last 10 starts at home with the total going UNDER eight times.
The Blue Jays have also not announced their Thursday starter, while Athletics righty Mike Fiers (6-4, 4.57 ERA, 5.5 SO/9 over 2020-21) is slated to make his second start of the season. Fiers has a 4.22 ERA in 49 career innings against Toronto, but has held Blue Jays hitters to a .217 / .276 / .380 batting slash. Oakland is also 15-5 in Fiers’ last 20 home starts, with the total going UNDER 11 times.
Ryu (1-2, 2.60, 8.5 SO/9) has helped the total go UNDER in 15 of his last 20 starts on the road.
The Blue Jays’ next series will be a three-game visit to the Houston Astros that begins Friday.
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