The Boston Red Sox (64-47) and Toronto Blue Jays (58-49) will toil in two on Saturday. The day-night doubleheader at Rogers Centre opens with Game 1 at 3:07 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze the lines around the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays odds with MLB picks and predictions.
RHP Nick Pivetta is the projected starting pitcher for the Red Sox. Pivetta is 8-5 with a 4.57 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 10.1 K/9, and 3.9 BB/9 in 112 1/3 IP over 21 starts.
- Has allowed an aggregate 1.023 OPS and .258 isolated power against current Toronto batters.
- Owns a 3.41 ERA through 10 road games.
- Has logged a 6.75 ERA over his last four starts, two of which came against the Blue Jays.
LHP Robbie Ray is the projected starter for the Blue Jays. He is 9-5 with a 3.04 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 11.1 K/9, and 2.4 BB/9 in 124 1/3 IP over 21 starts.
- Has clocked a 2.66 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break.
- Current Boston bats own an .863 OPS and .306 ISO against him.
Red Sox at Blue Jays Game 1 odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:27 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Red Sox +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Blue Jays -180 (bet $180 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Red Sox +1.5 (-155) | Blue Jays -1.5 (+122)
- Over/Under: 6.5 (O: -130 | U: +105)
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Prediction
Blue Jays 4, Red Sox 2
Money line (ML)
Boston is 1-6 on a current 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 the Blue Jays been making their own move in the standings. They are 7-1 on a home stand that kicked off July 30.
The Jays took Friday’s lid-lifter, 12-4, and they now own an .852 OPS in the second half.
Toronto is the “lean” for Saturday’s opener, but PASS unless you can get a price of -160 or better.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
With decent pitching on the bump and a 7-inning game as the format, a high-scoring game wouldn’t appear as likely. However, it didn’t on Friday either when 16 total runs were scored.
The price on Toronto is attractive: BACK THE BLUE JAYS 1.5 (+122).
Over/Under (O/U)
Struggling Boston bats (.699 OPS last 15 games), Ray, and the best end of the Toronto ‘pen if the home nine have this one tumbling out to a 5-6, maybe 7-run game with high probability. There’s some value at plus money on the lower side of things.
BACK THE UNDER 6.5 (+105).
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