Take The Slight Road Dog In This AL East Battle

Blue Jays vs. Orioles, 705 ET

Yesterday was a solid day as we took home multiple plays in the Padres vs. Marlins, it actually turned out to be one of the bigger plays I've had all season and I was happy that it cashed. That game took place on the West Coast, but now we shift all the way across the country to another series: one between the Blue Jays and the Orioles, two teams battling in the AL East.

The Blue Jays have one of the best records in the American League but thanks to the super hot Mariners, and the Astros dominating, they are now on the outside looking into the playoffs. They aren't far back, just a game behind Seattle, but this has to be one of the more frustrating things for a club with this much talent and success. Not only that but they have to be concerned with yet another in their division that is now close behind them, the Red Sox. It will be a shame if this team doesn't make the playoffs because they would be fun to watch with that offense and solid pitching staff. Tonight, they get Yusei Kikuchi taking the ball for them. He is having a great season for the Blue Jays - in fact, this is the best season he has ever had. He has turned in four consecutive quality starts and he hasn't allowed more than one earned run in any of his past five games. He's faced the Orioles three times this season and has improved in each game. The first two he only went 4.2 innings in each game, but the most recent, her allowed one earned over six innings.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 10: Cedric Mullins #31 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 10, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Orioles have been one of the most consistent teams in all of baseball. You could make an argument that Atlanta has been more consistent or maybe Texas, but there is no denying the Orioles are one of the best teams in baseball. They are sitting at the top of the toughest division in baseball. The strange thing is that if the Orioles do hold on and make it to the playoffs, I don't know that they have the pitching to get very far. Their starting staff is probably the weakest of all of the best teams. They might have the best bullpen of all the teams though so there is an interesting balance. They are sending out Grayson Rodriguez to the mound and he brings with a 5.44 ERA after having allowed 49 earned runs over 81 innings. He stumbled through April and May, but July and August have been solid months for him. He only has three quality starts over his past six outings, but the other ones weren't terrible starts. Rodriguez allowed four earned runs over five innings in his return in July. He's got a good track record against the Blue Jays, but Toronto has scored five earned runs off of him in 10.2 innings this season.

I think this is a good matchup for the pitchers. The hitters certainly should be familiar, but it is hard to fade Kikuchi right now. I would be a bit surprised if the total get over eight, but I think the best play in this game is to take the Blue Jays. The price on them is roughly the same for the first five as it is for the full game so I'll take the first five as I do think the Orioles bullpen is better than Toronto. Blue Jays, first five at -105.

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