The Toronto Blue Jays will continue their four-game series with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night at Rogers Centre. After the teams split the first two games of the series, the Red Sox are -150 favorites to win on Wednesday.
After spending the first half of May as one of the hottest teams in baseball, the Red Sox appear to have cooled off a little. Boston has lost four of its last seven games after dropping Tuesday’s contest in Toronto 10-3. The Red Sox remain two games over .500 but are 5.5 games behind the Yankees in the AL East and 3.5 games behind the second-place Rays, giving them a lot of ground to make up.
As for the Blue Jays, going 4-4 in their last eight games is actually an improvement from what they’ve done this season. Toronto, which is firmly in rebuilding mode, sits eight games under .500 and 10.5 games off the pace in the AL East, as they are just looking to play spoiler for their division rivals and develop some of their younger players.
Come Undone
Aaron Sanchez gets the start for Toronto on Wednesday. On the season, he has a solid 3.88 over his first 10 starts of the season. But it’s been a tale of two seasons for Sanchez. At the end of April, his ERA sat at 2.77. Over his four starts in the month of May, his ERA is 6.30. He left his last start after three innings because of a blister and had trouble keeping teams off the scoreboard in his three previous starts.
On the other hand, Sanchez has a good track record against most Boston hitters. Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., and J.D. Martinez are the only Red Sox regulars with an average better than .250 against Sanchez, who has plenty of experience facing Boston. Of course, outside of Bradley, it’s tough to find a weak link in Boston’s lineup, so Sanchez’s good history against the Red Sox will be tested.
Just Another Guy
In a few short years, Rick Porcello has gone from Cy Young winner to just another guy in Boston’s rotation. In his nine starts this season, Porcello is 3-4 with a 4.80 ERA. Outside of one start this season against Oakland, Porcello has given up at least two runs every time out. To be fair, he rarely lets games get away from him, but he’ll need a fair amount of run support to win.
On Wednesday, he’ll be facing a lot of hitters he’s never faced before. The only active Blue Jays player with more than six at-bats against Porcello is Justin Smoak, who is 12 for 40 (.300) with five home runs and three doubles against him. Fortunately for Porcello, no one in Toronto’s lineup is particularly hot right now outside of young sluggers Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Rowdy Tellez.
Get Ready for Runs
This is a game where both pitchers could give up some runs. Sanchez could end up finding himself given his history against the Red Sox. But Boston’s lineup is too deep, and Sanchez has been unreliable lately, and the recent blister issue doesn’t help. Bet on the Red Sox -150 to win on Wednesday.
