Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays Betting Preview
WagerTalk MLB handicapper Andy Lang offers his analysis of Thursday’s Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays clash at Target Field. This will be the first of a 4-game series between the Twins and Blue Jays.
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| Thursday, August 4 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Minnesota Twins +110 vs Toronto Blue Jays -120 |
| Runline: | Twins +1.5 (-160) / Blue Jays -1.5 (+140) |
| Total: | 8 Runs (Over -120 / Under +100) |
| Game Time: | 7:40pm ET / 4:40pm PT |
| Where: | Target Field in Minneapolis, MN |
| Weather: | 80 Degrees / Clear |
Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays Analysis
The Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins begin a four game series from Target Field on Thursday night. The Twins won the rubber match 4-1 at home against the Detroit Tigers to earn a 2-1 series victory.
The Blue Jays are coming off a two game split in Tampa Bay against the Rays. Both teams figure into the playoff picture as the Twins lead the Central Minnesota will send the righty veteran Sonny Gray to the mound, while Toronto turns to their ace Alek Manoah. First pitch is slated for 7:40 PM EST/4:40 PST.
Jays Building Wild Card Cushion
The Toronto Blue Jays have come out of the gates hot in the second half with wins in 8 of their last 11 games since the break. They currently occupy the first Wild Card spot with a four game cushion over the competition.
The Jays lineup is an absolute wagon that ranks 4th in scoring and 3rd with a .762 team OPS. They did have some trouble scoring runs yesterday as they lost 3-2 to the Rays at pitcher friendly Tropicana Field.
Teoscar Hernandez was the only hitter that produced, going 2 for 4 with home run, double and two RBI. Yusei Kikuchi only lasted four innings and gave up two runs, Adam Cimber ended up taking the loss.
Alek Manoah gets the nod for Toronto on Thursday night. He is 11-5 on the season with a 2.43 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. However he has come down to earth in his last two starts as he gave up five earned runs on 14 hits across only 11.2 innings.
Twins Look For Strong Finish To Homestand
The Minnesota Twins have played .500 baseball going 5-5 since the All-Star break. They currently lead the American League Central with a one game lead over the Cleveland Guardians and a two game lead over the Chicago White Sox.
The Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 4-1 in their last game behind five innings of one run baseball by Joe Ryan. Newly acquired catcher Sandy Leon went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI in his team debut.
Minnesota has been one the better hitting teams in the league this season as they rank 7th with a team OPS of .738 and 13th in runs scored.
Twins starter Sonny Gray had a stellar season thus far with a 6-3 record, 3.41 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. He’s been spot on in his last two outings with only two runs allowed across 11 innings against the San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers.
Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays Prediction
A close game is projected as the Toronto Blue Jays money line is set at -125, with the Minnesota Twins at +105 and a total of 8. The starting pitching seems to be about a wash between Monoah and Gray.
Both have had great seasons but have struggled a bit recently. Both teams also made acquisitions to strengthen their bullpens as Toronto added Mitch White, Anthony Bass & Zach Pop and Minnesota picked up Jorge Lopez and Michael Fulmer.
The Twins bullpen ERA currently ranks 12th in the league, while the Jays rank 15th. The big difference here is the offensive production where Toronto has a significant edge.
Since the break they have averaged 6.55 runs a game, while Minnesota have averaged 4.9 runs a game. I’m backing the Blue Jays to get the job done on the money line.
Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays -125
Interested in placing a bet on Thursday’s Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays American League clash? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
First Pitch | MLB Predictions for Thursday, August 4
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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