MLB Betting Preview (Aug. 7): Orioles vs. Blue Jays predictions

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) reacts after striking out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre.

Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Aug 7, 2024, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 7, 2024, 10:27 EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays drew first blood Tuesday with a 5-2 win in the opener of a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre, backed by an incredible performance by right-hander Chris Bassitt, who held the high-powered O’s to two runs on three hits over seven innings.

Alejandro Kirk did most of the damage for the Blue Jays with his three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to put Toronto up 3-1. Addison Barger’s two-run double later in the inning put the game out of reach.

Let’s dive into the game odds for Wednesday’s clash between the Orioles and Blue Jays courtesy of bet365:

Orioles vs. Blue Jays odds

Orioles Moneyline Odds	-150
Blue Jays Moneyline Odds	+125
Runline Odds	Orioles -1.5 (+110), Blue Jays +1.5 (-130)
Over/Under	Over 9.5 runs (+100), Under 9.5 runs (-120)
Time/Date	Aug, 7, 7:07 p.m. ET
TV	Broadcast: Sportsnet, Sportsnet+

Betting Baltimore Orioles (67-47 SU, 57-56 ATS, 62-41-11 o/u)

Grayson Rodriguez was the probable starting pitcher Tuesday, but he was a late scratch due to lat discomfort. The injury is obviously concerning for the Orioles, who were forced to turn to Albert Suarez to make the late start. Suarez pitched admirably on short notice, holding the Blue Jays scoreless over five innings before turning things over to the bullpen.

The top five hitters in the Baltimore lineup were held hitless Tuesday, with the only real damage coming off the bat of rookie Jackson Holliday, who belted his third homer of the season. His solo homer was the 175th long ball the Orioles have hit this season, helping them hold pace as the league leaders in home runs.

Outfielder Colton Cowser took a 17-game hitting streak into action Tuesday, but he went hitless in three at-bats, putting an end to the impressive run.

Betting Toronto Blue Jays (52-61 SU, 56-57 ATS, 61-49-3 o/u)

The Blue Jays have nothing to lose down the stretch being so far out of playoff contention, and they’ve actually played the Orioles tough this season, taking five of the 11 head-to-head contests.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has terrorized Baltimore pitching this season, slugging four homers and 10 RBIs while boasting a Herculean 1.422 OPS across 38 at-bats against Toronto’s AL East rival. Vladdy has safely hit in 18 straight games, and he’ll be motivated to continue doing damage after Orioles reliever Craig Kimbrel appeared to intentionally throw at him during a late at-bat on Tuesday.

Probable starting pitchers

Baltimore: LHP Trevor Rogers (2-10, 4.76 ERA, 7.22 K/9, 1.55 WHIP)

Rogers will be making his second appearance for the Orioles after being acquired prior to the trade deadline, and he’ll be hoping it’s much better than his debut. Rogers was roughed up for five earned runs over 4 1/3 innings by the Cleveland Guardians last week after two solid months on the mound for the Miami Marlins. It’ll be interesting to see if he can quickly get back on track or if he reverts back to his mediocre career numbers and turns out to be a bust for the Orioles down the stretch.

Toronto: RHP Bowden Francis (4-3, 5.64 ERA, 7.25 K/9, 1.46 WHIP)

Francis has surrendered five home runs over his previous two outings against the Orioles this season, so it could be a short start for him, especially considering he made a brief relief appearance just a few days ago for Toronto. It appears the Blue Jays will give Francis the ball regularly down the stretch to see if he can potentially stick in the rotation next season, so the pressure is on for the right-hander to impress over his next few starts.

Weather

It’ll be another fine evening for outdoor baseball in Toronto, with pleasant temperatures around 22 C and clear skies expected. Winds will blow from left field to right field at 12 mph.

MLB betting trends

The Blue Jays have won five of their last six home games.
The over is 13-2 in Baltimore’s last 15 games.
The over is 10-3 in Toronto’s last 13 games.

MLB player prop trends

Rogers has failed to record over 17 outs in six straight starts. He’s -130 to record under 17.5 outs.
As previously mentioned, Guerrero Jr. is taking an 18-game hitting streak into action Wednesday. He’s a steep -300 to record a hit and +105 to record over 1.5 total bases.
Holliday has homered in back-to-back games and in three of his last six. He’s +850 to go deep. Holliday has also scored a run in seven straight contests.
Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement has three stolen bases over his last two games. He’s +750 to steal a bag.

Orioles vs. Blue Jays predictions

The Orioles’ bats went cold Tuesday night, but you can’t expect them to stay that way for long, especially with Francis on the mound. Take the Orioles over 4.5 team total at -140.
Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is 4-for-5 with a pair of homers in his career against Francis. He’s around +475 to go deep, depending on the sportsbook.
Guerrero Jr. is 0-for-2 with a walk in his career against Rogers, but he’s destroyed left-handed pitching this year, slashing .338/.443/.662. Take him to record over 1.5 total bases at +105.