The Toronto Blue Jays (20-16) play a Friday doubleheader against the rival Boston Red Sox (12-26) at Fenway Park. The Jays moved into a share of second place in the AL East with a 6-2 win in extra innings Thursday. The first pitch of Friday’s Game 1 is set for 4:10 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Blue Jays-Red Sox MLB betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Blue Jays at Red Sox: Projected starting pitchers
RHP Tanner Roark vs. RHP Zack Godley
Roark: 2-1, 5.33 ERA, 1.778 WHIP, 7.3 K/9, 5.0 BB/9, 27 IP through 6 starts
- Home runs are an issue for Roark for the second straight year, as he’s allowing 2.3 per nine innings to match his 2019 rate.
- He gave up two homers and four earned runs over five innings in a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles in his last start. The Jays won 6-5.
Godley: 0-3, 7.71 ERA, 1.948 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, 4.6 BB/9, 25 2/3 IP, through 7 games (6 starts)
- The fact Godley continues to be trotted out is an indictment of the Red Sox’s pitching staff. He hasn’t completed 5 innings yet this season and hasn’t flirted with the win column.
- He pitched four scoreless innings against these Blue Jays Aug. 8 but the Red Sox fell 2-1.
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Blue Jays at Red Sox: Key injuries
(Get the latest injury news here.)
Blue Jays
- SS Bo Bichette (knee) out
- RP Ken Giles (forearm) out
- RP Jordan Romano (finger) out
Red Sox
- OF Andrew Benintendi (ribs) out
Also see: BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball
Blue Jays at Red Sox: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11:40 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 4
Moneyline (ML)
The BLUE JAYS (-121) will keep it rolling against the Red Sox (+110) in Game 1 of the doubleheader. They won 6-2 Thursday after being held scoreless through six innings. OFs Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. both homered in the top of the 10th to drive in a total of four runs.
Godley pitched well against the Jays earlier this season but it seems to be the anomaly on another lost season for him on the mound. Roark gets the edge in the pitching matchup, and the Jays have an even greater advantage when it gets to the bullpens.
New to sports betting? A $12.10 bet on the Blue Jays to win returns a profit of $10.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Bet on the BLUE JAYS -1.5 (+125) to win by at least 2 runs, as they did in extra innings Thursday. Godley’s inability to pitch deep into games allows the floodgates to open early as Boston turns to a bullpen with a collective 5.74 ERA.
Over/Under (O/U)
Take the OVER 8.5 (-110) for the 7-inning game in a much worse pitching matchup than we had Thursday. Both starters could be forced to stay in the game longer than they otherwise would in an effort to preserve the bullpens.
That’ll be welcomed by both offenses.
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