The Toronto Blue Jays (35-40) travel to face off against the Cleveland Guardians (47-26) on Saturday, June 22nd. This game will be played at Progressive Field in Cleveland and televised on SNET. The Guardians are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Blue Jays are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Guardians. First pitch is set for 3:10 CT.
Blue Jays vs Guardians
Cleveland picked up a 7-1 win over the Blue Jays in the most recent game of this series. The Guardians offense got off to a fast start, scoring seven of their eight runs in the 2nd inning. As for the Blue Jays, they scored their only run in the 4th. Heading into the game, the Guardians were favored at -128 on the money line.
Carlos Carrasco started for the Guardians and picked up the win, going six innings and giving up just one run. He finished the game with seven strikeouts but issued one walk. Yariel Rodriguez got the start for the Blue Jays and took the loss, going just 1 1/3 innings and giving up four earned runs.
Josh Naylor and Austin Hedges each had two RBIs for the Guardians’ offense. Naylor, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each had two hits for the Blue Jays.
Toronto is on the road today vs. the Guardians, and they are looking to snap a four-game losing streak, which has them at 35-40 overall. In the AL East, they trail the Yankees by 14.5 games, and they are 5th in the division.
The Blue Jays have an overall series record of 9-11-4 this year, and they are 6-14 as road underdogs. As the underdog, Toronto has dropped seven straight games. They are 29-20 when favored and 18-19 at home.
When the Blue Jays win, they do so by an average of 3.1 runs per game, but when they lose, it’s by an average of 3.9 runs. Their overall run line record is 34-41, and they are 21-17 against the run line on the road. They are 13-24 against the run line at home and have failed to cover the run line in their last game.
When the Toronto Blue Jays are on the road, the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. Their games have averaged 8.3 runs per game this season. Overall, the Blue Jays have a 32-41 over/under record. The average over/under line for their games is set at 8 runs. When the line is set at 8.5 runs, their over/under record is 7-15. So far this season, only 9.3% of their games have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs or higher.
José Berríos Gets The Start For The Blue Jays
Through 15 starts, José Berríos has a record of 6-5 and an ERA of 3.13 for the Blue Jays. This year, he has one complete game and 11 quality starts. Berríos’ ERA at home is 2.48, compared to 4.71 on the road. In his last outing, he gave up four earned runs in six innings of work but still managed to get the win. Before that, he had gone three straight starts without taking the loss. Berríos has allowed at least one homer in three straight outings.
Blue Jays Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Blue Jays are averaging just 3.8 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the MLB. Their home run total of 61 is also 24th in the league. As a team, the Blue Jays are batting just .233, which is 17th in the league. Toronto’s offense has been carried by Daulton Varsho and Davis Schneider, who have 11 and 9 homers, respectively, but Varsho is batting just .210 for the season, and Schneider is at .226.
Over his last five games, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has gone 7/21, and he is batting .281 for the season. Varsho and Schneider have both struggled of late, with Varsho going 3/20 in his last five games and Schneider going 3/16 in his last four games. Ernie Clement has gone 6/12 in his last three games and is on a three-game hitting streak.
Cleveland is currently 47-26 overall and leads the AL Central by seven games over the Royals. The Guardians have won three straight games, and they are 11-6 against other teams in the AL Central this year. At home, the Guardians are 24-9 and have gone 23-17 on the road.
So far, the Guardians have been good in day games, going 19-8 this season. As the favorite, Cleveland is 33-15 and 14-11 as the underdog. The Guardians have an overall series record of 16-6-2 this year.
The Cleveland Guardians have been a solid bet against the run line this season, going 42-31 overall. They are 19-14 against the run line at home, where their average run margin is +1.4 runs per game. They have covered the run line in three straight games and are 3-0 against the run line as the favorite in that span.
The Cleveland Guardians are playing host to the Toronto Blue Jays today, and the over/under line for the game is set at 8.5 runs. The Guardians’ games have averaged 8.7 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 35-33. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, their record is 7-11. So far this season, 19.2% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8.5 runs.
Ben Lively Gets The Start For The Guardians
Right-hander Ben Lively gets the start for the Guardians today as he faces the Blue Jays at home. Lively has made 11 starts this year and has a record of 6-3 with a 3.02 ERA. His WHIP for the season is currently 1.19. Lively has turned in three straight quality starts and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four straight outings. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up four earned runs in four innings of work. Before that, he had won three straight starts. So far, he has been much better at home, coming in with a 1.92 ERA compared to 3.92 on the road.
Guardians Offense Breakdown
Over the past 30 days, the Guardians have been one of the top offenses in the league, averaging 5 runs per game. This has been a trend for them all season, as they are 2nd in the league in scoring. Not only are they one of the top-scoring teams in the league, but they also do a good job of making contact, as they have the 3rd fewest strikeouts in the league. As a team, they are batting .243 and have the 8th best on-base percentage in the league.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been two of the league’s top power hitters this season, as they are 2nd and 1st on the team in home runs, respectively. Ramirez’s 65 RBIs are 2nd in the league, and Naylor is right behind him at 57. Both of these players have been swinging hot bats of late, as Naylor is on a 4-game hitting streak, and Steven Kwan and Will Brennan have both been batting over .420 in their last seven and eight games, respectively.
Blue Jays vs Guardians Prediction
Getting the Guardians at -136 on the money line is the way we recommend playing this one. Our predicted final score is 6-5 in favor of the Guardians, and at -136, they have an implied win probability of 57.6%, which is a good payout.
Looking at some other potential bets, you could look to the over/under, and if so, we would take the over at 8.5. However, our projections have this one finishing with just 11 total runs, giving us a little less wiggle room if you’re looking to play the over/under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:June 24, 2024 Blue Jays, Guardians