<p>The Toronto Blue Jays will open a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre on Monday night.</p>
<p>Toronto returns home after a 3-3 road trip that included stops in Pittsburgh and Miami. It took two of three games from the Marlins over the weekend after dropping two of three to the Pirates at PNC Park.</p>
<p>Minnesota is playing some terrible baseball right now, dropping eight of its last 10 games, including two of three to the lowly Chicago White Sox over the weekend.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at the game odds for Monday&#8217;s series opener between the Twins and Blue Jays, courtesy of <a href="https://www.on.bet365.ca/olp/open-account?affiliate=365_03431249&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=139656&amp;utm_campaign=365_03431249">bet365</a>.</p>
<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays odds</h2>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Twins moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">+120</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Blue Jays moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">-140</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Runline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">Blue Jays -1.5 (+150), Twins +1.5 (-180)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Game total</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">Over 7.5 runs (-120), Under 7.5 (+100)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Date/time</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">Aug. 25, 7:07 p.m. ET</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<h2>About the Twins (59-71 SU, 64-66 ATS, 56-68-6 o/u)</h2>
<p>The Twins enter this series a whopping 18 games back of the Detroit Tigers for the American League Central lead and 10 1/2 games out of a playoff spot, so they&#8217;re only playing for pride down the stretch. Additionally, the Twins have been terrible on the road this season, posting a 26-40 record with a respectable 32-34 mark on the runline in those games.</p>
<p>They rank towards the back of the pack in the majors in nearly every major statistical category while averaging 4.1 runs scored per game (23rd) and allowing 4.6 per game (22nd).</p>
<h2>About the Blue Jays (76-55 SU, 76-55 ATS, 71-55-5 o/u)</h2>
<p>The Blue Jays won&#8217;t be happy about going .500 on their mini road trip against two inferior opponents, but they still hold a five-game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the top spot in the AL East. They&#8217;re a respectable 6-4 in their last 10 games and own an awesome 42-21 record at Rogers Centre this season.</p>
<p>Perhaps more important than their recent performance, slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returned to limited action on Sunday in Miami, making a pinch-hitting appearance after missing a handful of games with a hamstring issue. He&#8217;ll likely slide back into the starting lineup on Monday, perhaps as the designated hitter, while Toronto plays it safe with its best player.</p>
<p>Toronto took two of three games from the Twins in Minnesota back in early June, with all three games playing over their posted game totals.</p>
<h2>Probable starting pitchers</h2>
<p><strong>Minnesota:</strong> RHP Joe Ryan (12-6, 2.96 ERA, 10.01 K/9)</p>
<p>Ryan has been a shining star for the Twins this season, leading the team in wins (12), ERA (2.96), and strikeouts (159). However, he was shelled for five earned runs over four innings last time out against the Athletics, raising his ERA to a mediocre 3.74 this month over four starts. He threw five innings of two-run ball while striking out six when he faced the Blue Jays in Minnesota back in June. Bettors should keep in mind that the Twins have no reason to push Ryan&#8217;s pitch counts anywhere close to triple digits down the stretch with the team so far out of contention.</p>
<p><strong>Toronto:</strong> RHP Max Scherzer (4-2, 3.60 ERA, 8.40 K/9)</p>
<p>Scherzer has really been productive for the Blue Jays this month, posting a 3-1 record with a microscopic 1.80 ERA over four starts this month. He held the Pirates to one run on four hits over six innings while striking out four last week on the heels of two solid starts against the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, two National League powerhouses. The future Hall of Famer ranks in the 90th percentile in hard-hit rate, limiting the opposition to a mark of just 33.5%.</p>
<h2>Notable injuries</h2>
<p>Pitcher Pablo Lopez (shoulder), outfielder Alan Roden (thumb), catcher Christian Vazquez (shoulder), and pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson (illness) are on the injured list for Minnesota.</p>
<p>Outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder), pitcher Yimi Garcia (elbow), pitcher Bowden Francis (shoulder), and pitcher Alek Manoah (elbow) are on the IL for Toronto. Guerrero Jr. is day-to-day with his hamstring issue and will be a game-time decision.</p>
<h2>Weather</h2>
<p>Forecasts are calling for temperatures around 19 C with clear skies this evening in Toronto. Winds will blow in from left field at 18 mph.</p>
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<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays betting trends</h2>
<ul>
<li>The Twins have hit the first five innings team total under in 31 of their last 47 games.</li>
<li>The Twins have covered the runline in nine of their last 13 away games.</li>
<li>The Blue Jays have the best home record on the runline (40-23) in the AL.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays player prop trends</h2>
<ul>
<li>Scherzer has recorded 18 outs or more in five straight starts, averaging 19.2 per game during that span. He&#8217;s -145 to record over 17.5 outs.</li>
<li>Ryan has allowed two earned runs or less in nine of his last 10 starts and 16 of his last 20. He&#8217;s -115 to record under 2.5 earned runs.</li>
<li>Bo Bichette has recorded over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs in nine straight games and 17 of his last 20. He&#8217;s -145 to beat that mark on Monday.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays best bet</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Bo Bichette over 0.5 runs scored: +125 for one unit (best odds @ FanDuel)</strong>. Bichette, who has an impressive .455 on-base percentage over the last 30 days and a .519 mark over the last seven, has beaten this number in three straight games and 13 of his last 20. He&#8217;s a modest 2-for-8 with a walk and three strikeouts in his career against Ryan, but that&#8217;s still not bad against an elite starting pitcher. Toronto is averaging a hearty 5.27 runs per game this season at Rogers Centre, which ranks as the third-best home mark in all of baseball.</li>
</ul>


Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) scores on a single by second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa (not pictured) against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning at Rogers Centre.

The Toronto Blue Jays will open a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre on Monday night.

Toronto returns home after a 3-3 road trip that included stops in Pittsburgh and Miami. It took two of three games from the Marlins over the weekend after dropping two of three to the Pirates at PNC Park.

Minnesota is playing some terrible baseball right now, dropping eight of its last 10 games, including two of three to the lowly Chicago White Sox over the weekend.

Let's take a look at the game odds for Monday's series opener between the Twins and Blue Jays, courtesy of <a href="https://www.on.bet365.ca/olp/open-account?affiliate=365_03431249&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=139656&amp;utm_campaign=365_03431249">bet365</a>.
<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays odds</h2>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Twins moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">+120</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Blue Jays moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">-140</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Runline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">Blue Jays -1.5 (+150), Twins +1.5 (-180)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Game total</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">Over 7.5 runs (-120), Under 7.5 (+100)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Date/time</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">Aug. 25, 7:07 p.m. ET</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<h2>About the Twins (59-71 SU, 64-66 ATS, 56-68-6 o/u)</h2>
The Twins enter this series a whopping 18 games back of the Detroit Tigers for the American League Central lead and 10 1/2 games out of a playoff spot, so they're only playing for pride down the stretch. Additionally, the Twins have been terrible on the road this season, posting a 26-40 record with a respectable 32-34 mark on the runline in those games.

They rank towards the back of the pack in the majors in nearly every major statistical category while averaging 4.1 runs scored per game (23rd) and allowing 4.6 per game (22nd).
<h2>About the Blue Jays (76-55 SU, 76-55 ATS, 71-55-5 o/u)</h2>
The Blue Jays won't be happy about going .500 on their mini road trip against two inferior opponents, but they still hold a five-game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the top spot in the AL East. They're a respectable 6-4 in their last 10 games and own an awesome 42-21 record at Rogers Centre this season.

Perhaps more important than their recent performance, slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returned to limited action on Sunday in Miami, making a pinch-hitting appearance after missing a handful of games with a hamstring issue. He'll likely slide back into the starting lineup on Monday, perhaps as the designated hitter, while Toronto plays it safe with its best player.

Toronto took two of three games from the Twins in Minnesota back in early June, with all three games playing over their posted game totals.
<h2>Probable starting pitchers</h2>
<strong>Minnesota:</strong> RHP Joe Ryan (12-6, 2.96 ERA, 10.01 K/9)

Ryan has been a shining star for the Twins this season, leading the team in wins (12), ERA (2.96), and strikeouts (159). However, he was shelled for five earned runs over four innings last time out against the Athletics, raising his ERA to a mediocre 3.74 this month over four starts. He threw five innings of two-run ball while striking out six when he faced the Blue Jays in Minnesota back in June. Bettors should keep in mind that the Twins have no reason to push Ryan's pitch counts anywhere close to triple digits down the stretch with the team so far out of contention.

<strong>Toronto:</strong> RHP Max Scherzer (4-2, 3.60 ERA, 8.40 K/9)

Scherzer has really been productive for the Blue Jays this month, posting a 3-1 record with a microscopic 1.80 ERA over four starts this month. He held the Pirates to one run on four hits over six innings while striking out four last week on the heels of two solid starts against the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, two National League powerhouses. The future Hall of Famer ranks in the 90th percentile in hard-hit rate, limiting the opposition to a mark of just 33.5%.
<h2>Notable injuries</h2>
Pitcher Pablo Lopez (shoulder), outfielder Alan Roden (thumb), catcher Christian Vazquez (shoulder), and pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson (illness) are on the injured list for Minnesota.

Outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder), pitcher Yimi Garcia (elbow), pitcher Bowden Francis (shoulder), and pitcher Alek Manoah (elbow) are on the IL for Toronto. Guerrero Jr. is day-to-day with his hamstring issue and will be a game-time decision.
<h2>Weather</h2>
Forecasts are calling for temperatures around 19 C with clear skies this evening in Toronto. Winds will blow in from left field at 18 mph.
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<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays betting trends</h2>
<ul>
 	<li>The Twins have hit the first five innings team total under in 31 of their last 47 games.</li>
 	<li>The Twins have covered the runline in nine of their last 13 away games.</li>
 	<li>The Blue Jays have the best home record on the runline (40-23) in the AL.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays player prop trends</h2>
<ul>
 	<li>Scherzer has recorded 18 outs or more in five straight starts, averaging 19.2 per game during that span. He's -145 to record over 17.5 outs.</li>
 	<li>Ryan has allowed two earned runs or less in nine of his last 10 starts and 16 of his last 20. He's -115 to record under 2.5 earned runs.</li>
 	<li>Bo Bichette has recorded over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs in nine straight games and 17 of his last 20. He's -145 to beat that mark on Monday.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Twins vs. Blue Jays best bet</h2>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Bo Bichette over 0.5 runs scored: +125 for one unit (best odds @ FanDuel)</strong>. Bichette, who has an impressive .455 on-base percentage over the last 30 days and a .519 mark over the last seven, has beaten this number in three straight games and 13 of his last 20. He's a modest 2-for-8 with a walk and three strikeouts in his career against Ryan, but that's still not bad against an elite starting pitcher. Toronto is averaging a hearty 5.27 runs per game this season at Rogers Centre, which ranks as the third-best home mark in all of baseball.</li>
</ul>

MLB betting preview (Aug. 25): Twins vs. Blue Jays predictions

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