Oakland (14-13) at Toronto (11-14)
When: Friday, April 26th, 2019
Where: Rogers Centre,
Toronto, Ontario
Time: 7:07 ET | TV: Sportsnet One,
NBCS California
Opening Odds: Toronto -120/8.5
The fans of the Toronto Blue Jays have been patiently waiting for the arrival of Baseball’s best prospect and the wait is finally over. Friday night will mark the highly-anticipated debut of Vladimir Guerrero, Jr in Toronto when the Blue Jays host the Oakland A’s in the opener of a three-game series. Guerrero, Jr. is the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, and is making his way back from an oblique strain suffered in spring training. It appears that has healed up quite nicely, as Guerrero, Jr. has blasted three home runs in his first eight games with Triple-A Buffalo this season. Toronto could use a little offensive spark after they were limited to two hits in a shutout loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. The Jays are 22nd in runs scored (4.04), 25th in hitting (.227) and 24th in home runs (26). The Athletics are coming off a three-game sweep at home of the Texas Rangers after getting swept last weekend by these Blue Jays. Chad Pinder dumped a game-winning single into shallow right-center field that scored Stephen Piscotty with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 6-5 win over the Rangers on Wednesday. Oakland shortstop Marcus Semien totaled five RBIs in the last two games including a three-run homer on Wednesday. Veteran right Mike Fiers will be the first one to greet Guerrero, Jr. on Friday, as he opposes righty Marcus Stroman of Toronto.
Pitchers: Athletics – Mike Fiers (2-2, 8.28 ERA) | Blue Jays – Marcus Stroman (1-3, 1.76)
Fiers is not coming into this matchup with a lot of confidence after getting torched by the Blue Jays last Saturday for six runs and nine hits – two homers – over 3.1 innings. Fiers has been rocked in his last three starts overall to the tune of 18 runs and 23 hits across 10 innings, but has just one loss in that span. Fiers surrendered homers last Saturday to Rowdy Tellez and Brandon Drury after holding the Blue Jays to a run until the fourth inning.
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Stroman went up against the A’s in Oakland last Friday and put together his best outing of the year, allowing one run and six hits over eight strong innings to earn the win while striking out six. Stroman has a 1.08 ERA in three home starts despite an 0-2 record and has 29 strikeouts in 30.2 innings overall. He was hit hard by Oakland in his lone start against them in 2018, allowing seven runs and 11 hits in five innings.
The Blue Jays will be a little pumped up for this one and so will the fans, but this is not why I’m taking Toronto. Fiers has been dreadful lately including the outing last weekend against the Jays and Toronto has won six of their last nine overall. Take the home team.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Friday. He is 42-31 on the season after a 7-3 run!
Pick: Blue Jays -130
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BETTING TRENDS:
Athletics are 8-2 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
Athletics are 4-1 in their last 5 road games.
Athletics are 5-2 in their last 7 games following a win.
Athletics are 5-2 in their last 7 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Athletics are 5-2 in their last 7 games on astroturf.
Athletics are 57-25 in their last 82 vs. a team with a losing record.
Athletics are 43-19 in their last 62 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Athletics are 2-5 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Athletics are 2-6 in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
Athletics are 2-7 in their last 9 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Athletics are 1-4 in their last 5 Friday games.
Athletics are 1-7 in their last 8 games following an off day.
Athletics are 5-0 in Fiers’ last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.
Athletics are 4-1 in Fiers’ last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
Athletics are 6-2 in Fiers’ last 8 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Athletics are 11-4 in Fiers’ last 15 starts.
Athletics are 5-2 in Fiers’ last 7 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
Blue Jays are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. American League West.
Blue Jays are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Blue Jays are 4-9 in their last 13 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Blue Jays are 1-4 in their last 5 games on astroturf.
Blue Jays are 1-4 in their last 5 home games.
Blue Jays are 1-5 in their last 6 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Blue Jays are 2-10 in their last 12 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Blue Jays are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Blue Jays are 6-13 in Stroman’s last 19 Friday starts.
Blue Jays are 3-7 in Stroman’s last 10 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Blue Jays are 2-5 in Stroman’s last 7 starts vs. American League West.
Blue Jays are 2-5 in Stroman’s last 7 starts with 6 days of rest.
Blue Jays are 2-6 in Stroman’s last 8 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Blue Jays are 1-4 in Stroman’s last 5 starts during game 1 of a series.
Blue Jays are 1-5 in Stroman’s last 6 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Blue Jays are 1-5 in Stroman’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Blue Jays are 1-5 in Stroman’s last 6 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Blue Jays are 1-6 in Stroman’s last 7 starts.
Blue Jays are 0-4 in Stroman’s last 4 home starts.
Blue Jays are 0-4 in Stroman’s last 4 starts on astroturf.
Blue Jays are 0-5 in Stroman’s last 5 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-0 in Athletics last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
Over is 8-1 in Athletics last 9 vs. American League East.
Over is 7-1 in Athletics last 8 vs. a team with a losing record.
Over is 6-1 in Athletics last 7 games following a win.
Over is 12-3 in Athletics last 15 overall.
Over is 12-3-1 in Athletics last 16 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 12-3-1 in Athletics last 16 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
Over is 22-7 in Athletics last 29 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-2 in Athletics last 8 games following an off day.
Over is 15-5-1 in Athletics last 21 road games.
Over is 3-1-1 in Athletics last 5 on astroturf.
Over is 23-8-1 in Athletics last 32 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 20-7-1 in Athletics last 28 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 6-0 in Fiers’ last 6 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Over is 4-0 in Fiers’ last 4 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-0 in Blue Jays last 4 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-1-1 in Blue Jays last 7 games following an off day.
Under is 4-1 in Blue Jays last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Over is 7-2 in Blue Jays last 9 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 13-4 in Blue Jays last 17 home games.
Under is 9-3 in Blue Jays last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 7-3 in Blue Jays last 10 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 13-6-1 in Blue Jays last 20 on astroturf.
Under is 7-1 in Stroman’s last 8 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Stroman’s last 6 starts overall.
Under is 8-2 in Stroman’s last 10 starts on astroturf.
Under is 4-1 in Stroman’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 8-2 in Stroman’s last 10 home starts.
Under is 20-6-3 in Stroman’s last 29 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 8-3 in Stroman’s last 11 Friday starts.
Athletics are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Toronto.
Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings in Toronto.
Over is 5-2-1 in the last 8 meetings.
Athletics are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
