The Toronto Blue Jays will try to put the brakes on the worst start to a season in franchise history when they welcome the division-rival Baltimore Orioles to town on Thursday for the first date of a four-game weekend series as slim -115 betting favourites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Toronto dropped a 2-0 decision to Milwaukee as heavy -230 chalk on Wednesday, sinking the club deeper into the AL East basement with a 1-7 record, 4.5 games back of first-place Baltimore ahead of Thursday night’s Orioles vs. Blue Jays betting matchup at Rogers Centre.
The Blue Jays’ offence has been silent in the early going this season, scoring more than two runs on just three occasions, and a mere seven total runs over their past four contests. That has paid dividends for bettors taking the UNDER, which has gone 6-2 in the club’s first eight games.
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The club’s starters have met expectations, particularly Marcus Stroman, who threw a complete game in Wednesday’s loss to the Brewers, and Aaron Sanchez, who failed to receive run support in the team’s 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay as narrow +102 underdogs last weekend.
The Orioles arrive in town after avoiding a two-game sweep in Boston with a 12-5 win as +128 underdogs on Wednesday, halting a two-game slide in the process.
Baltimore is 3-7 in its past 10 games in Toronto, but has won four of five overall. Meetings between these two clubs have tended to be low-scoring affairs with the run total topping five just once in their past five matchups, and the UNDER prevailing in 10 straight in totals betting, according to the OddsShark MLB Database.
Baltimore is expected to send right-hander Kevin Gausman to the mound on Thursday, while the Blue Jays will counter with left-hander Francisco Liriano.
Gausman has no record through two starts this season despite holding the Blue Jays to two earned runs in 5.2 innings of work in Baltimore’s 3-2 home-opener win. Liriano came out flat in his only start this season, surrendering five earned runs in 0.1 innings in last Friday’s 10-8 loss to Tampa Bay.
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Following an off-day on Monday, the Red Sox roll into town for three games before the Blue Jays kick off a seven-game road trip with a four-game set against the Los Angeles Angels.
Toronto has taken nine of 14 from the Red Sox, but lost two of three home series to Boston last season. The Angels have topped Toronto in four of six overall, but are 2-4 in their past six at home versus the Blue Jays.