The Toronto Blue Jays will look to rebound Friday from a dreadful season opener versus the Baltimore Orioles at the Rogers Centre.
The Orioles launched six home runs en route to a 12-2 rout of the Blue Jays to take the first game of this four-game series with Toronto. Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins recorded two home runs apiece in the victory as the Orioles collected 14 hits on Blue Jays pitchers.
Toronto was held to just four hits in the loss, with new addition Andres Gimenez providing the only real offensive spark with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Let’s dive into the game odds for Friday’s clash between the Orioles and Blue Jays courtesy of bet365.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays odds
Orioles moneyline odds | +110 |
Blue Jays moneyline odds | -130 |
Runline odds | Blue Jays -1.5 (+155), Orioles +1.5 (-185) |
Game total | Over 8.5 runs (-105), Under 8.5 (-115) |
Date/Time | March 28, 7:07 p.m. ET |
About the Orioles (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 1-0 o/u)
After a quiet offseason, the Orioles proved they’re still a powerhouse in the American League with an impressive offensive performance in the season opener.
Canadian Tyler O’Neill homered in his sixth straight Opening Day game, extending his Major League record. It was also his Orioles debut, so fans and the front office have to be feeling good about the three-year, $49.5 million deal the club signed him to this past winter. O’Neill has struggled with his durability in the past, and he has big shoes to fill in Baltimore with the departure of Anthony Santander, who went 0-for-4 in his debut with the Blue Jays on Thursday.
After belting five home runs in 11 games against the Blue Jays last year, Rutschman picked up right where he left off, smashing a pair of homers while collecting three hits on the day.
About the Blue Jays (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS, 1-0 o/u)
It’ll be interesting to see how/if the Blue Jays respond to an absolutely embarrassing home opener that resulted in a chorus of boos from the home crowd.
Yes, starting pitcher Jose Berrios wasn’t sharp, allowing six runs over five innings, including a trio of homers to the Orioles. But Toronto’s offence managed just four hits after finishing 23rd in runs scored and 26th in home runs a year ago. And it was Gimenez, who is highly coveted for his elite defence, that managed to do the most damage with the bat on Thursday.
If you can draw one positive from Thursday’s dud, it’s that Alan Roden, Toronto’s No.5-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, picked up his first big-league hit in the loss. The 25-year-old prospect had an electric spring, forcing the Blue Jays to add him to the big-league roster.
Probable starting pitchers
Baltimore: RHP Charlie Morton (2024 stats: 8-10, 4.19 ERA, 9.09 K/9)
Morton, now 41, continues to defy the odds and have success in the twilight years of his impressive 18-year MLB career. He’s made 30 or more starts in six of the past seven seasons, and he now returns to the AL after spending four years in the National League with the Atlanta Braves. The right-hander has only ever made two starts at Rogers Centre, but he’s been impressive in a small sample size, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.69 ERA while holding the opposition to a .211 batting average.
Toronto: RHP Kevin Gausman (2024 stats: 14-11, 3.83 ERA, 8.06 K/9)
After a lacklustre 2024 campaign by his standards, Gausman entered camp this year having added around 20 lbs of muscle. Gausman says he tends to lose weight throughout the season, and he believes his new frame will help him achieve more power and consistency this season. Last year, his strikeout rate dropped to 21.4 percent, a far cry from his elite 31.1 percent mark in 2023. The right-hander struggled against his former team last year, allowing eight runs and four homers over 14 1/3 innings of work against the O’s.
Notable injuries
The Orioles were able to hang a 12-spot on the Blue Jays on Thursday without one of their best hitters, Gunnar Henderson. The shortstop is dealing with a right intercostal strain and won’t play in this series.
As for the Blue Jays, outfielder Daulton Varsho (shoulder) and relievers Erik Swanson (forearm)and Ryan Burr (shoulder) won’t be available.
Weather
It’ll be cold and rainy in Toronto on Friday, so the retractable dome will certainly be closed. The weather won’t be a factor in this one.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays betting trends
- The over is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings between the teams.
- The over was 20-11 in Gausman’s 31 starts last season.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays player prop trends
- Mullins has collected at least one hit in seven straight games dating back to last season, including the playoffs. He has around -165 odds to get a hit on Friday.
- Rutschman terrorized the Blue Jays last season, slashing .302/.375/.651 with five homers and nine RBIs in 11 games, and he picked up right where he left off Thursday, adding two more blasts and three RBIs to his gargantuan totals against Toronto. The Orioles catcher hasn’t fared well against Gausman in his career, though, posting a .428 OPS in 21 at-bats with no home runs.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays best bets
- Blue Jays moneyline: -124 (best odds @ Pinnacle). Toronto should bounce back here from an embarrassing loss in the opener and rally behind Gausman, who gives them a huge edge in this starting pitching matchup. Morton only made three starts this spring, failing to throw more than 46 pitches in any of those outings, so this should primarily be a bullpen game for the Orioles. Getting through three innings is probably the goal for Morton in this one, so Toronto should have the opportunity to feast on Baltimore’s long relievers, who aren’t as reliable as the team’s impressive high-leverage options.
- Morton under 3.5 strikeouts: +130 (best odds at PROLINE +). At first glance this number seems low, but there’s a high probability the 41-year-old doesn’t see past the third inning in this matchup. Morton beat this line in 83 percent of his starts last season, but considering his low pitch counts this spring, it’s unlikely he hangs around long enough to collect four or more punchouts. And keep in mind that Toronto only collectively struck out three times on Thursday against Zach Eflin and three Baltimore relievers. As of Friday morning, there aren’t any outs recorded markets up at online sportsbooks for Morton, so betting the under on his strikeouts is the best option. We’re also getting outstanding value here at PROLINE + (available in Ontario only), as many other online sportsbooks have this prop as short as -125.