The Boston Red Sox (64-46) and Toronto Blue Jays (57-49) tangle Friday night in the opener of a four-game series at Rogers Centre. First pitch is slated for 7:07 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze the lines around the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays odds with MLB picks and predictions.
RHP Nathan Eovaldi is the projected starting pitcher for the Red Sox. The veteran is 9-6 with a 3.71 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, and 1.6 BB/9 in 121 1/3 IP in 21 starts.
- Has scuffled in his recent road turns with a 6.30 ERA in his last four starts away from Fenway.
- Has held current Toronto bats to an aggregate .578 OPS.
RHP Alek Manoah is the projected starter for the Blue Jays. Manoah has started nine games this season. The rookie fireballer is 3-1 with a 2.47 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 10.7 K/9, and 3.0 BB/9 in 47 1/3 IP.
- Is coming off 7 scoreless innings in his last start, which was his first since July 9.
- Logged 6 innings of 1-run ball June 14 against the Red Sox.
Red Sox at Blue Jays odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:54 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Red Sox +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Blue Jays -155 (bet $155 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Red Sox +1.5 (-170) | Blue Jays -1.5 (+133)
- Over/Under: 9.5 (O: +105 | U: -130)
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
Prediction
Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 4
Money line (ML)
Boston is 1-5 on a road trip that has included trips to Tampa Bay and Detroit, and the Red Sox have been leapfrogged by the Rays as leaders in a talented AL East.
Meanwhile, Toronto has been at home all week – truly at home in Ontario, Canada, and not Dunedin, Fla., or Buffalo, N.Y. – and they’ve been making hay. They are 6-1 on a home stand that kicked off July 30.
These two clubs have met 15 times this season. Boston holds a 9-6 edge in the series despite being a minus-20 in run differential.
On Friday look for the Jays to add to that run differential. Manoah gives an edge to the home nine, and the Crimson Hose could well be a road-weary bunch in for a long weekend.
BACK THE BLUE JAYS (-155).
FANTASY BASEBALL: Serious about winning your league? Sign up for BaseballHQ.com to dominate the competition. Subscribe now!
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
A high-scoring game wouldn’t appear as probable, and the game could lay out as Boston batting nine times against Toronto’s eight. However, the price here is attractive and worth consideration, perhaps in a combo play with the above wager.
TAKE TORONTO -1.5 (+133)
Over/Under (O/U)
Will respect the cross signals underpinning this matchup, and the public backing the over. PASS.
For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]