Orioles vs Blue Jays Prediction, Pick and Preview, August 31 (8/31): MLB

Orioles vs Blue Jays Prediction, Pick and Preview, August 31 (8/31): MLB

Credit: photo by John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

 
Odds
Time 7:07 p.m. EST
Orioles money line +255
Orioles run line +1.5 (+145)
Blue Jays money line -294
Blue Jays run line -1.5 (-164)
Over / under 10.0 (+100)

 

Key stats
  Orioles Blue Jays
Record 40-90 69-61
Road / home record 21-46 35-28
Last 10 record 2-8 6-4
Streak L4 W3
Over / under record 69-59-2 59-68-3
Runs / game 4.12 4.98
Runs allowed / game 5.91 4.09

 

Preview

The ever-struggling Baltimore Orioles take on the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of a three game series.  The Blue Jays took the first game 7-3.  The Orioles have reverted to their losing ways, dropping their last 4, 3 of those games by 3 or more runs.  The Blue Jays, who are chasing a Wild Card spot, lie 4.5 games behind the Red Sox, and have now won 3 straight.

The Orioles continue to put runs on the board, but pitching is their Achilles heel.  In their four game skid, they've scored an average of 4.25 runs per game, coming after scoring 23 in their two lone wins against the Angels.

The Blue Jays have scored an average of 4.0 runs per game in their last 3 games, and only 3.3 runs per game over their last 10 games.

Pitching matchup

Orioles

Keegan Akin (1-8, 7.26 ERA) pitches for the Orioles.  Coming off a 4.56 ERA 2020, he's struggled this season. He did have a great outing last time out against the Angels, going 7.0 innings, with 3 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.  In August he's gone a combined 22.1 innings, giving up 13 earned runs on 24 hits, 9 walks and 17 strikeouts.  He pitched against the Blue Jays in late June, going 4.1 innings, giving up 6 earned runs on 7 hits, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.  Blue Jays batters have gone 12 for 34 (.353 AVG) against Akin, with 4 home runs, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts.

Blue Jays

Hyun Jin Ryu (12-7, 3.88 ERA), the reliable pitcher starts for the Blue Jays.  He's coming off a 1.97 ERA 2018, 2.32 ERA 2019 and 2.69 ERA 2020.  He was roughed up last time out vs the White Sox, going only 3.2 innings with 7 earned runs.  In August, he's gone a combined 26.2 innings, giving up 20 earned runs on 32 hits, 5 walks and 21 strikeouts.  He's pitched three times against the Orioles this season, going a combined 18.2 innings, giving up 6 earned runs on 15 hits, 5 walks and 14 strikeouts.  Orioles batters have gone 15 for 66 (.227 AVG) against Ryu, with 1 home run, 4 walks and 14 strikeouts.

Prediction

It takes a bold bettor to take the Orioles in this spot with the Blue Jays playing for a Wild Card spot and the Orioles being the Orioles.  However, the Blue Jays have struggled to put runs on the board, averaging just 3.3 runs per game over their last 10.  Ryu was horrible last time out and has given up 20 earned runs in 26.2 innings in August.  Akin pitched very well last time out and has had a better August than Ryu.  The Orioles are actually scoring runs, so if Akin can hold the relatively cold bats of the Blue Jays they have a shot to take this game or at least keep it close.

PICK: Orioles +1.5 (+145)

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