The Toronto Blue Jays visit Fenway Park in Boston on Wednesday, where they will take on arguably the best team in baseball in the Boston Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 pm central time. Boston has been tearing their way through their schedule, establishing themselves as the team to beat.
Toronto is on the other side of the coin, well out of the playoff picture. They are eliminated from the playoffs, 33 and a half games out of first place in the American League East division. Their 65-79 record ranks, in their division, only above the lowly Baltimore Orioles.
They obviously won’t be playing in this game for a playoff berth, they will be playing to play spoiler and develop themselves for the next season. The Red Sox, however, have become the first team in the league to clinch a playoff berth. They are 99-46 on the season, and sit 9 games ahead of their longtime rival, the New York Yankees.
Now, the Red Sox have not necessarily clinched the American League East, but they are guaranteed at least to face off in the Wild Card Game. The Yankees and Athletics are currently lined up for that game. Boston will look to reach their 100th win with a victory over the Blue Jays in this one. The Red Sox are heavily favored in this game: at -270.
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Pitching Matchup
For Toronto, Aaron Sanchez will be on the mound. MLB.com had this to say about his recent performance:
“Sanchez has made three starts since returning from the disabled list, and his last start against the Rays was his best one yet. Sanchez allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while matching a season high with eight strikeouts.”
Sanchez has been hot lately, but it remains to be seen whether he can carry that momentum over to an extent in which he can beat the Red Sox. The 6’4 righty is 4-5 on the year, and sports a 5.17 ERA on the year. He will definitely look to use his recent momentum to, at the very least, improve his subpar stats.
Longtime dominant lefty David Price will toe the rubber for Boston. According to MLB.com:
“Price was tremendous last time out, holding the Astros to two runs while striking out 10 over 6 1/3 innings. Both runs scored after Price departed, and he got a no-decision. He is 20-3 with a 2.52 ERA against the Blue Jays in his career.”
So, both pitchers have some recent momentum coming into this game. Price, however, has better stats showing a consistently good pitcher having a good season: he is 14-6 on the year, and has a 3.57 ERA. The slightly high ERA could show that he has the Red Sox’s tremendous hitting to thank for his record. Regardless, the pitchers who win tend to be the best in the league (Except for situations like Chris Sale and Jose Quintana’s tenures with the White Sox).
Look for hitters such as Mookie Betts on the Boston side, and powerhouse Justin Smoak on the Toronto side, to impact this game. However, this game will be won on the mound, with Price dominating the shaky Toronto offense, whose best batting average is .247. Bet on the Boston Red Sox at -270.
- Bet on the Boston Red Sox -270
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