Cleveland Guardians (60-66) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (70-57)
Cleveland Guardians vs. Toronto Blue Jays 8/25/2023 – Due to their 29th-place slugging and last-place home runs, Cleveland is ranked 27th in runs scored per game this season. If pitchers are never fearful of the big fly, it doesn’t matter that MLB has the best strikeout rate or a top-10 number of stolen bases. The fact that pitchers aren’t made to fear the long ball contributes to the Guardians’ low walk rate (25th). Cleveland is scoring fewer runs than every other club this month, which is hardly a coincidence given that Naylor was injured the whole month of August. Jose Ramirez needs to stand down, but none of the Guardians are equipped to do so.
The new park dimensions in Toronto appear to be harming the offense at the plate. At home, the Blue Jays have a significantly lower batting average and slugging percentage, which results in fewer runs scored. Toronto is only a mediocre 16th in runs scored per game this year. Batting average, on-base percentage, and strikeout rate rank the lineup in the top 10. The Blue Jays aren’t making many errors overall, but baserunning is where they struggle this season. For more insights and predictions, check out consensus MLB picks today.
Guardians vs. Blue Jays Game Info
| When: | August 25, 2023 7:07 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | Rogers Centre, CAN |
| TV: | ESP+ |
| Stream: | MLB.TV |
Tanner Bibee (9-3, ERA: 3.01) vs Chris Bassitt (12-6, ERA: 3.92)
Even with a 7-13 record, August was the staff’s greatest month, and they’ll try to keep it up over the next three days. On Friday, Tanner Bibee will take the mound for his second start against the Blue Jays this month. To win 1-0, Cleveland required every bit of that performance. Since Bibee’s ERA soars to 4.04 on the road, this performance might not be as noteworthy. All Bibee needs to do is keep the game under control with Cleveland’s potent bullpen supporting him.
The Toronto Bluebirds got to take a flight home after a series against the AL-leading Orioles. They will remain there in hopes of earning at least a wild-card spot. Toronto’s pitching staff excelled this season, posting superior stats at home. Managing the Blue Jays’ pitching staff falls to Chris Bassitt. He did not face Cleveland a few weeks ago but enters this game with a 2.83 home ERA. This should be the last of Bassitt’s five straight starts in which he allowed a home run. If Bassitt doesn’t have it, the Blue Jays can still contain the damage because Toronto also has a potent bullpen.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: Toronto Blue Jays -160, Total Odds: 8.5
Cleveland’s ability to weaponize speed is a huge differentiator in a game that ought to be close. Tanner Bibee, a starter for Cleveland, already kept Toronto scoreless this month before being supported by the relievers of Cleveland with more shutout innings. The onus is once again on the Guardians’ offensive to do well. They get a few runs, just enough to win the series’ first game and depart Toronto.
Cleveland Guardians Betting Trends
The total went UNDER in 7 of Cleveland’s last 9 matches. The Guardians are 1-4 SU in their last 5 matches. The Cleveland Guardians are 6-3 SU in their last 9 matches against Toronto. The Cleveland Guardians are 2-6 SU in their last 8 matches on the road. The total went UNDER in 6 of Cleveland’s last 9 matches when playing on the road against Toronto.
Toronto Blue Jays Betting Trends
Total went UNDER in 14 of Toronto’s last 20 matches. The total went UNDER in 7 of Toronto’s last 8 matches against Cleveland. Total went UNDER in 10 of Toronto’s last 14 matches at home. The total went UNDER in 6 of Toronto’s last 9 matches when playing at home against Cleveland.
Cleveland Guardians vs. Toronto Blue Jays 8/25/2023 Betting Picks
The total went UNDER in 4 of Cleveland’s last 5 matches against an opponent in the American League. The Cleveland Guardians are 2-6 SU in their last 8 matches played in August. The Toronto Blue Jays are 2-4 SU in their last 6 matches against an opponent in the American League. The Toronto Blue Jays are 8-3 SU in their last 11 matches against an American League Central Division opponent. For expert insights, consider checking out consensus sports picks.
Free Pick and Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays will win 6-2