The Blue Jays are the favorite to win the AL East because of their potent offense. We’re still waiting for them to start knocking the ball around the yard and they face an old nemesis and teammate in David Price, who has owned Toronto during his career.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The two favorites in the AL East have started slowly and are languishing at the bottom of the division standings through the season’s first two weeks. After hooking up north of the border last weekend, the Blue Jays and Red Sox will go at it again in Boston.
Toronto’s bats have been held relatively silent at the start of the season, averaging just under four runs per game through the first eight games of the year. That could change with a trip to Fenway Park. The Jays won five of nine in Boston last season, scoring five or more runs six times while reaching double figures on three occasions. The over was 6-2 with a push in those nine contests.
The Red Sox took two of three last weekend in Toronto playing as the underdog in each contest. They were up 1.56 units on the moneyline and cashed the over twice.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Marco Estrada (1-0, 0.00 ERA) faced Boston in his season debut tossing 7.0 scoreless innings while striking out eight. He has allowed two runs or less in 11 of his last 13 starts dating back to last year and appears to be over a back injury that sidelined him during the spring.
Estrada has been jinxed by the home run ball in the past and the development of a cutter to left-handed hitters may help in reducing the number. He gave up 24 in 181.0 innings last season with three delivered by the Red Sox in just 10.1 innings pitched.
David Price (1-0, 5.73 ERA) will try to recover from a rough outing on Monday when he gave up five runs in the third inning and lasted just five frames taking a no-decision in a game the Sox lost. The lefty had not allowed more than three runs in his previous 11 starts at Fenway Park, so, of course, he gets tagged in his first home start as a member of the Red Sox.
Price is 16-2 with a 2.41 ERA over 21 career starts against Toronto. He’s beaten the Blue Jays more than any team and has one of his three career shutouts against them.
LIVE BETTING
Seven games into the season and the Red Sox have learned one thing: they need a better collective performance from their starting rotation. A 3-4 record can be largely attributed to a 7.32 ERA from the rotation. No. 5 starter Steven Wright is the only rotation member to record outs in the seventh inning through the first seven games. Even staff ace Price isn’t immune. Price lasted just five innings in his last start, surrendering five earned runs. He went the minimum amount of innings in the season opener to earn a quality start, leaving after six frames. Slow starts tend to be magnified in Boston, especially with the Sox coming off consecutive last place finishes in the AL East.
QUICK PICK
There was a reason why the Blue Jays made the deal to acquire Price at the deadline last season. Sure, they were in the middle of a pennant race and one of the best hurlers in the game could get them to the postseason. And he did. But the Jays didn’t want to face the lefty in a critical game down the stretch because he absolutely owns them. Price has won 16 of his 21 career starts against the Jays and owns a 2.41 ERA over 145.2 innings. It will be a difficult chore taming the Blue Jays lineup, but, as the old baseball saying goes, good pitching stops good hitting. And Price is a good pitcher.
MLB Odds: Boston 6, Toronto 4
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Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The ballgame between the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox will take place Saturday, April 16, 2016, at 4:05 p.m. ET at Fenway Park. The contest will be televised nationally on FS1.
