GDB 144: Brandon Belt returns as Toronto Blue Jays open season-defining series against Texas Rangers

The Toronto Blue Jays will embark on their most important series of the 2023 season on Monday welcoming the Texas Rangers to town.

Coming off a 10-5 run against sub-.500 teams in the Cleveland Guardians, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals, the Jays welcome a Rangers team who sit just 1.5 games back in the AL wild card race. Toronto has gone 13-7 in their last 20 games, and 17-13 in their last 30. A pretty nice run, to say the least.

While the Jays have been on a run, the Rangers have been on everything but.  They’ve gone 3-7 in their last 10, 6-14 in their last 20, and a brutal 12-18 in their last 30. For a team that was expected to contend out of the American League this year, they sure haven’t looked the part.

For Toronto, coming out on top of this series could prove key as the playoff race heats up and they’ll get some help, too, as Brandon Belt is set to return. The DH and sometimes first baseman has missed the last eight games for the Jays dealing with a sore back, and later illness, but has since recovered from both ailments and draws back into the picture tonight.

First pitch: 7:07 p.m EST — Sportsnet, Sportsnet 650.

Toronto Blue Jays: 80-63, 10.5 GB, 10 E#, +1.0 WCGB, +81 DIFF.

Texas Rangers: 78-64, 3.0 GB, 17 E#, 0.5 WCGB, +142 DIFF.

Moneyline: TOR -111; TEX +-105.

*Odds at the time of publishing. Odds subject to change.

Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about the Jays’ latest series against the Kansas City Royals.