<p>The All-Star break is over, and that means it&#8217;s time for the Toronto Blue Jays to begin the unofficial second half of the season on Friday night when they host the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game interleague series.</p>
<p>After posting 10 straight wins, Toronto cooled off with three losses in four games heading into the break to inferior opponents (Athletics and Chicago White Sox).</p>
<p>San Francisco also slid into the break, dropping three of its last four contests, including its last two to the Los Angeles Dodgers.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at the odds for Friday&#8217;s series opener between the Giants 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>Giants vs. Blue Jays odds</h2>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Giants moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">+125</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Blue Jays moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">-150</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Runline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Blue Jays -1.5 (+140), Giants +1.5 (-165)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Game total</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Over 8.5 runs (-115), Under 8.5 (-105)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Date/time</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">July 18, 7:07 p.m. ET</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<h2>About the Giants (52-45 SU, 41-56 ATS, 43-51-3 o/u)</h2>
<p>The Giants find themselves just a half game out of playoff spot in the National League heading into action Friday, so they have plenty of motivation to string some wins together leading up to the trade deadline at the end of the month.</p>
<p>San Francisco is a well below average team at the plate, but its pitching has been elite this season. The Giants are averaging 4.1 runs per game (21st in the majors) while allowing just 3.9 (fourth in MLB). They also boast a very impressive 3.50 team ERA while limiting opponents to just 84 total homers, the second least in the majors.</p>
<h2>About the Blue Jays (55-41 SU, 55-41 ATS, 50-44-2 o/u)</h2>
<p>After a slow start to the season at the plate, the Blue Jays have really kicked it into high gear with the bats over the last month or so. Their .258 team batting average is tied with the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays for the best in baseball, while their .330 on-base percentage ranks third in the majors.</p>
<p>Additionally, they&#8217;re averaging a robust 5.31 runs per game this season at Rogers Centre with a .796 team OPS (third best home mark in baseball).</p>
<p>However, their pitching staff has largely struggled at home, posting a combined 4.16 ERA (22nd in majors) while coughing up 126 home runs to the opposition.</p>
<h2>Probable starting pitchers</h2>
<p><strong>San Francisco:</strong> RHP Justin Verlander (0-7, 4.70 ERA, 7.87 K/9)</p>
<p>Verlander, a nine-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, has really struggled in his age-42 season. He ranks below league average in most Statcast metrics, and opponents are hitting a lofty .385 (.297 xBA) off of his once-lethal curveball.  Surprisingly, Verlander has only ever made two starts throughout his illustrious career at Rogers Centre, but his numbers at the venue are fantastic in a small sample size. He owns a 1.23 ERA with a 0.75 WHIP across 14 2/3 innings in Toronto, where he also threw his third career no-hitter against the Blue Jays back in 2019.</p>
<p><strong>Toronto:</strong> RHP Chris Bassitt (9-4, 4.12 ERA, 8.75 K/9)</p>
<p>After an incredibly strong start to the season, Bassitt floundered in May and June, posting an ERA of 5.06 and 5.46 in those months, respectively. However, he&#8217;s rebounded to start to July, allowing just four earned runs over 12 2/3 innings while striking out 11 (2.84 ERA this month). The veteran right-hander has been exceptional on the mound at Rogers Centre, posting a perfect 6-0 record with a 2.81 ERA across 10 starts this year.</p>
<h2>Notable injuries</h2>
<p>Second baseman Christian Koss (hamstring) and pitcher Erik Miller (elbow) are on the injured list for the Giants.</p>
<p>Outfielder Daulton Varsho (hamstring), outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder), infielder Andres Gimenez (ankle), pitcher Bowden Francis (shoulder), pitcher Nick Sandlin (elbow), pitcher Yimi Garcia (ankle), and pitcher Paxton Schultz (finger) are on the IL for the Blue Jays.</p>
<h2>Weather</h2>
<p>Forecasts are calling or evening temperatures around 22 C and clear skies. Winds will blow out to left field at 8 mph.</p>
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<h2>Giants vs. Blue Jays betting trends</h2>
<ul>
<li>The Blue Jays have the best record on runline (29-19) at home in the majors.</li>
<li>The under is 7-2 in Toronto&#8217;s last nine games.</li>
<li>The under is 6-2 in San Francisco&#8217;s last eight games.</li>
<li>The Blue Jays have hit the team total over in 27 of their last 41 games.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Giants vs. Blue Jays player prop trends</h2>
<ul>
<li>Verlander has recorded four or more strikeouts in four of his last five starts and seven of his last 10. He&#8217;s around -150 to record over 3.5 strikeouts against Toronto, which strikes out the least times (6.76) per game in the majors.</li>
<li>Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has struck out at least once in four straight games and seven of his last 10. He&#8217;s -125 to strike out at least once on Friday.</li>
<li>Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has walked at least once in four straight games and six of his last 10. He&#8217;s +120 to draw a walk.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Giants vs. Blue Jays best bets</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Under 8.5 runs scored: -103 for one unit (best odds @ NorthStar Bets)</strong>. We have a strong pitching matchup featuring two veteran hurlers that have excelled at Rogers Centre recently and throughout their careers, and they should have the edge over some rusty hitters that have now had four days off due to the All-Star break. Both teams will have fresh bullpens at their disposal, too, so the managers won&#8217;t hesitate to call on reliever arms for the best matchups early and often in this one.</li>
<li><strong>Rafael Devers over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs: -110 for one unit (best odds @ Sports Interaction)</strong>. Devers owns a .471 batting average with a 1.589 OPS in 17 career at-bats against Bassitt with three home runs. He&#8217;s also traditionally raked at Rogers Centre, where he owns a career .323/.405/.605 slash line with 12 homers and 33 RBIs in 44 career games at the venue.</li>
</ul>


San Francisco Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers (16) bats during the third inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park.

The All-Star break is over, and that means it's time for the Toronto Blue Jays to begin the unofficial second half of the season on Friday night when they host the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

After posting 10 straight wins, Toronto cooled off with three losses in four games heading into the break to inferior opponents (Athletics and Chicago White Sox).

San Francisco also slid into the break, dropping three of its last four contests, including its last two to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Let's take a look at the odds for Friday's series opener between the Giants 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>Giants vs. Blue Jays odds</h2>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Giants moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">+125</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Blue Jays moneyline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">-150</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Runline odds</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Blue Jays -1.5 (+140), Giants +1.5 (-165)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Game total</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Over 8.5 runs (-115), Under 8.5 (-105)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">Date/time</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px;">July 18, 7:07 p.m. ET</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<h2>About the Giants (52-45 SU, 41-56 ATS, 43-51-3 o/u)</h2>
The Giants find themselves just a half game out of playoff spot in the National League heading into action Friday, so they have plenty of motivation to string some wins together leading up to the trade deadline at the end of the month.

San Francisco is a well below average team at the plate, but its pitching has been elite this season. The Giants are averaging 4.1 runs per game (21st in the majors) while allowing just 3.9 (fourth in MLB). They also boast a very impressive 3.50 team ERA while limiting opponents to just 84 total homers, the second least in the majors.
<h2>About the Blue Jays (55-41 SU, 55-41 ATS, 50-44-2 o/u)</h2>
After a slow start to the season at the plate, the Blue Jays have really kicked it into high gear with the bats over the last month or so. Their .258 team batting average is tied with the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays for the best in baseball, while their .330 on-base percentage ranks third in the majors.

Additionally, they're averaging a robust 5.31 runs per game this season at Rogers Centre with a .796 team OPS (third best home mark in baseball).

However, their pitching staff has largely struggled at home, posting a combined 4.16 ERA (22nd in majors) while coughing up 126 home runs to the opposition.
<h2>Probable starting pitchers</h2>
<strong>San Francisco:</strong> RHP Justin Verlander (0-7, 4.70 ERA, 7.87 K/9)

Verlander, a nine-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, has really struggled in his age-42 season. He ranks below league average in most Statcast metrics, and opponents are hitting a lofty .385 (.297 xBA) off of his once-lethal curveball.  Surprisingly, Verlander has only ever made two starts throughout his illustrious career at Rogers Centre, but his numbers at the venue are fantastic in a small sample size. He owns a 1.23 ERA with a 0.75 WHIP across 14 2/3 innings in Toronto, where he also threw his third career no-hitter against the Blue Jays back in 2019.

<strong>Toronto:</strong> RHP Chris Bassitt (9-4, 4.12 ERA, 8.75 K/9)

After an incredibly strong start to the season, Bassitt floundered in May and June, posting an ERA of 5.06 and 5.46 in those months, respectively. However, he's rebounded to start to July, allowing just four earned runs over 12 2/3 innings while striking out 11 (2.84 ERA this month). The veteran right-hander has been exceptional on the mound at Rogers Centre, posting a perfect 6-0 record with a 2.81 ERA across 10 starts this year.
<h2>Notable injuries</h2>
Second baseman Christian Koss (hamstring) and pitcher Erik Miller (elbow) are on the injured list for the Giants.

Outfielder Daulton Varsho (hamstring), outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder), infielder Andres Gimenez (ankle), pitcher Bowden Francis (shoulder), pitcher Nick Sandlin (elbow), pitcher Yimi Garcia (ankle), and pitcher Paxton Schultz (finger) are on the IL for the Blue Jays.
<h2>Weather</h2>
Forecasts are calling or evening temperatures around 22 C and clear skies. Winds will blow out to left field at 8 mph.
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<h2>Giants vs. Blue Jays betting trends</h2>
<ul>
 	<li>The Blue Jays have the best record on runline (29-19) at home in the majors.</li>
 	<li>The under is 7-2 in Toronto's last nine games.</li>
 	<li>The under is 6-2 in San Francisco's last eight games.</li>
 	<li>The Blue Jays have hit the team total over in 27 of their last 41 games.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Giants vs. Blue Jays player prop trends</h2>
<ul>
 	<li>Verlander has recorded four or more strikeouts in four of his last five starts and seven of his last 10. He's around -150 to record over 3.5 strikeouts against Toronto, which strikes out the least times (6.76) per game in the majors.</li>
 	<li>Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has struck out at least once in four straight games and seven of his last 10. He's -125 to strike out at least once on Friday.</li>
 	<li>Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has walked at least once in four straight games and six of his last 10. He's +120 to draw a walk.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Giants vs. Blue Jays best bets</h2>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Under 8.5 runs scored: -103 for one unit (best odds @ NorthStar Bets)</strong>. We have a strong pitching matchup featuring two veteran hurlers that have excelled at Rogers Centre recently and throughout their careers, and they should have the edge over some rusty hitters that have now had four days off due to the All-Star break. Both teams will have fresh bullpens at their disposal, too, so the managers won't hesitate to call on reliever arms for the best matchups early and often in this one.</li>
 	<li><strong>Rafael Devers over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs: -110 for one unit (best odds @ Sports Interaction)</strong>. Devers owns a .471 batting average with a 1.589 OPS in 17 career at-bats against Bassitt with three home runs. He's also traditionally raked at Rogers Centre, where he owns a career .323/.405/.605 slash line with 12 homers and 33 RBIs in 44 career games at the venue.</li>
</ul>

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