The Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels will play game two of their four-game set this Friday night from Angel Stadium at 9:38 PM on Apple TV+.
Toronto comes into this one as the favorites, with the total opening at 8. Jays manager Charlie Montoyo will send Alek Manoah to the mound, while Angels skipper Joe Maddon will start rookie Chase Silseth.
The Jays and the Angels have split each of the past eight meetings dating back to last season, with the winner covering the run line each time. Toronto and Los Angeles have crushed the over in five of the last six matchups.
Key injuries
Shohei Ohtani’s exit with back stiffness in last night’s outing is something to keep an eye on heading into this one.
Why Blue Jays can win
The Blue Jays will carry a distinctive advantage on the mound coming into this one. Manoah has come out in All-Star form, and Toronto is getting production from all throughout the lineup.
Vlad Guerrero Jr. fittingly homered against his father’s former team again last night, marking the second night in a row he’s gone yard. Bo Bichette and Santiago Espinal have been exceptional, with the latter recording multiple hits in each of the last two games.
Alex Manoah (5-1, 1.62 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season for Toronto. The second-year pitcher came in and picked up where he left off, with even more command on the mound. Manoah has gone six or more innings in seven of his last eight starts, but he hasn’t fanned more than four batters in his last three starts. Manoah’s strikeout total sits at 6.5, and I like his under (-150) here facing a talented Angels lineup.
Why Angels can win
The Angels are capable of winning every time out. We’re finally seeing what the pairing of Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout can do, and they’ve got a pretty strong supporting cast surrounding the two superstars.
Trout is enjoying his healthiest start since 2019, batting over .300 at the plate again, while being on pace for another 40-homer season. Ohtani’s also off to another strong start, and despite taking the loss last night, the reigning AL MVP tossed ten strikeouts.
Taylor Ward, Brandon Marsh, and Jared Walsh all continue to improve, giving the Angels their best lineup in years. Ward leads the majors in hitting (.370), while carrying a twelve game hit streak prior to last night’s pinch hit appearance.
Chase Silseth (1-1, 2.61 ERA) will make the home start for the Halos. The first-year pitcher will be making his third career start, and he was solid in two showing against Oakland, tossing ten strikeouts over ten innings of work.
The Pick: Over 8 Runs
