The Toronto Blue Jays will be battling to maintain their perch atop the AL East standings as they continue a three-game series in New York on Tuesday, facing the Yankees as -155 betting favourites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Toronto continued their recent rocky play on the road, falling 5-3 to New York on Monday. That dropped them to 4-6 in their past 10 games away from home heading into Tuesday night’s Blue Jays vs. Yankees betting matchup at Yankee Stadium.
The Blue Jays have now failed to post consecutive road wins since taking a pair from the Yankees in mid-August.
Despite those recent struggles and a tenuous hold on top spot in the division standings, Toronto remains at a solid +750 on the odds to win the World Series at the sportsbooks. Those odds are powered by the Blue Jays’ favourable schedule down the stretch, with 13 of their final 25 contests coming against teams with losing records.
However, with 18 of their final 25 games coming against AL East rivals, Toronto remains far from assured of a second straight appearance in the post-season.
Six of those dates come against New York, whom the Blue Jays have dominated this season, going 9-4 in 13 meetings to date. But it is an unfamiliar Yankees squad that Toronto must now face, following the departure of several Yankee veterans after the club committed to a mid-season youth kick.
Among those youngsters is hurler Luis Cessa, who will make his fourth career start against Toronto on Tuesday. Cessa has looked solid in his first three starts, tallying a pair of wins but surrendering two long balls in each of his last two outings.
Aaron Sanchez takes the hill for the Blue Jays in search of his 14th win of the campaign. The right-hander pitched 6.2 innings of shutout ball in his last start against New York, a 7-0 win on June 1, and has surrendered two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his last 12 starts.
After closing out their series with New York on Wednesday, the Blue Jays return home to open a three-game series against Boston on Friday night. The Red Sox remain a game back of Toronto, powered by hot bats that have exploded for 60 total runs in their past nine outings.
The Red Sox have managed to claim wins in nine of their past 14 games at Rogers Centre.