The Toronto Blue Jays (61-52) are feeling it. Considered as an offensive juggernaut with a listless pitching back in the first half, the Blue Jays flipped the table soon after the midseason break. This August, the Blue Jays’ mammoth offense has finally found the perfect complement in the form of their much-improved starting pitching; aside from leading the majors in runs, the Blue Jays are also dangling a 1.87 ERA in nine games this month.
The situation isn’t as good for the Oakland A’s, however, despite riding a three-game win streak to Toronto, as they’re still 10 games out of first place in the American League West. Will Toronto cut the Yankees’ lead atop the AL East with a win over the A’s? Or will Oakland clip the streaking Blue Jays?
Read on for our preview of this terrific Tuesday offering. Meanwhile, check out our preview of the NL’s top Tuesday game, the Pirates vs. Cardinals.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Oakland Athletics vs. Toronto Blue Jays Preview
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto
When: Tuesday, August 11, 2015, 7:07 PM ET
Line: Oakland Athletics vs. Toronto Blue Jays – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Oakland Athletics
[sc:MLB240banner ]Following a feel-good three-game sweep of the Houston Astros, the continuation of the Athletics’ win streak will now largely depend on Kendall Graveman (6-7, 3.90 ERA).
Graveman, however, has hit a rough patch this season, going 0-3 with a 6.20 ERA over his last five starts. That stretch includes the A’s 7-1 loss to Toronto on July 21, wherein Graveman was eviscerated by the Blue Jays’ offense for six earned runs on six hits (three homers) in just 5.1 innings.
With an unreliable bullpen, the Athletics will have to get a solid start from Graveman if they are to stop a streaking Toronto team later tonight. If anything, Graveman pitches better on the road than at O.co Coliseum, where he is 2-4, 4.64 ERA thus far this season. Across nine starts away from Oakland, Graveman has compiled a 4-3 record and a 3.10 ERA.
As for the offense, the A’s will look for leadoff hitter Billy Burns and Marcus Semien to carry their solid form from the Houston series into Rogers Centre. Burns hit 4-for-10 (.400) with two RBIs in his last three games, while Semien is 5-for-11 (.454) during the same stretch.
The under is 6-4 in Oakland’s last 10 games overall.
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Betting on the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto is straight up demolishing any team in its path these days. After treating the Yankees like a ragdoll by sweeping them in a three-game series, the Blue Jays head back home, where they are 3-0 in their last three games against Oakland.
On the mound for the Blue Jays will be Drew Hutchison, who is arguably the luckiest man in baseball today. Despite a high 5.42 ERA, Hutchison still owns a 10-2 record (second in AL in win percentage), primarily because of Toronto’s offense. Thus far this season, Hutchison receives the most runs per nine innings pitched—an insane average of 8.08—among qualified starters in the majors.
As mentioned earlier, the Blue Jays had a walk in a park the last time they faced Graveman. As a team, they went 10-for-36 against the A’s righty with Edwin Encarnacion going 2-for-3 with a homer. Encarnacion is hitting well since the All-Star break, as he is batting .333/.446/.580 with three homers and three doubles. Josh Donaldson, meanwhile, is hitting like he’s on another planet, going .304/.417/.747 with eight homers and 22 RBIs in the second half.
Toronto is 8-1 this month, and has averaged 5.2 runs per game.
Writer’s Prediction
Toronto wins, 7-5.
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