The Boston Red Sox (8-11) wrap up their 4-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays (12-7) Thursday at Rogers Centre. First pitch is scheduled for 3:07 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays odds with MLB picks and predictions.
The Blue Jays have a 4-2 lead in the season series. They took 2 of 3 games in Boston April 19-21 and captured 2 of the first 3 games in this homestand.
The Red Sox picked up a commanding 7-1 victory Wednesday as they rocked three separate Blue Jays relievers for 2 earned runs each. The victory snapped a four-game losing skid for Boston.
Toronto has 6 wins in its last 8 games and has yet to drop 2 games in a row this season. Wednesday’s loss marks the first time since April 13 that the Blue Jays weren’t tied for first or outright leading the AL East as they fell a half-game behind the New York Yankees.
Red Sox at Blue Jays projected starters
RHP Garrett Whitlock vs. RHP Alek Manoah
Whitlock (1-0, 0.66 ERA) makes his 2nd start and 6th appearance. He has allowed just 1 ER on 5 H and 2 BB with 18 K through 13 2/3 IP.
- Pitched 4 scoreless innings with just 1 hit and 7 strikeouts at the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday in his first career start.
- Appeared in 46 games as a reliever last year in his rookie season going 8-4 with a 1.96 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9 and 9.9 K/9 across 73 1/3 IP.
- Faced the Blue Jays 6 times in 2021 and allowed just 1 ER on 9 H and 1 BB with 8 K across 8 2/3 IP.
Manoah (3-0, 2.00 ERA) makes his 4th start. He has a 1.00 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9 and 9.0 K/9 through 18 IP.
- Has tossed exactly 6 IP in all three of his starts, most recently giving up 2 ER to the Houston Astros Saturday on 7 H with 5 K.
- Has benefited from a below-average .222 BABIP through his first 3 outings.
- Was 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA across 2 starts versus the Red Sox last year in his rookie season.
Red Sox at Blue Jays odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:13 p.m. ET.
- Money line (ML): Red Sox +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Blue Jays -145 (bet $145 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Red Sox +1.5 (-180) | Blue Jays -1.5 (+145)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: -112 | U: -140)
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Red Sox at Blue Jays picks and predictions
Prediction
Toronto 3, Boston 2
Money line
This should be a very tight affair with two pitchers who have performed extremely well to start the season — I wouldn’t get carried away with any wager here.
However, the Blue Jays are the better side at the plate and have the starter that is more likely to stretch deeper into the game. They should bounce back from Wednesday’s embarrassing late-game collapse and pick up a tight victory. Consider backing the BLUE JAYS (-145).
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Run line/Against the spread
PASS.
The -180 tag on the Red Sox here is a little too steep for a single run of insurance. Just two of Toronto’s four victories against Boston have been by a single run, the other two were 5 and 4 run differences.
I’d love to be able to back the Jays to win by 2 or more runs at plus-money value but it’s hard to get behind the notion of them getting to Whitlock and if the bullpen can keep them off balance it might be a stretch to cover the run line.
Over/Under
Unders have ruled the league through the opening weeks, the dome remaining closed at Rogers Centre during a chilly April and with two starting pitchers on the mound who have been lights out in the early going I’m backing the UNDER 7.5 (-140).
Three of the first six meetings between these sides have fallen under that number, and two others have hit just 8 runs.
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