MLB Baseball Betting: Minnesota Twins at Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays got some help from the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees on Friday and as a result will enter play on Saturday in sole possession of first place in the American League East. Toronto is 1 game up on the Boston Red Sox and 2 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees continue to creep closer to the top of the standings, however, and are now just 5.5 games back. More importantly, the Jays did their part and throttled Minnesota 15-8. The Twins have now lost 8 straight and dropped to 9-15 -3.4 units in the month of August.

Minnesota will start aright hander Earvin Santana on Saturday and although he’s pitched fairly well this season he has little to show for it. Overall, he’s got a 3.39 ERA and a 1.194 WHIP but the Twins have lost 16 of his 23 starts this season. On the road, he’s got a 2.92 ERA and a 1.297 WHIP but the Twins are 4-7 when he starts. He’s been very sharp recently with a L3 ERA of 1.77 and a 0.885 WHIP and the Twins won two of those three starts. He pitched well last time out at Kansas City going 7 innings allowing 5 hits, 2 ER and striking out 10 while walking just 1. He lost that game 2-1.

Toronto will counter with Marcus Stroman who has been mediocre at best this season though he’s been in decent form of late. Overall, Stroman has a 4.47 ERA with a 1.279 WHIP and a 4.73 ERA with a 1.256 WHIP at home. In his last three starts he’s got a 2.41 ERA and a 1.179 WHIP. The Jays are 12-13 in his 25 starts this year, 7-5 at home and 1-2 in his last three starts. He catches a break as Minnesota has been awful against right handed starters this season with a record of 34-60 -20.5 units.

Stroman might get a break but Santana doesn’t. The Jays have pummeled right handed pitching averaging 5.1 runs per game and hitting .255. They’re 58-38 +4.1 units against right handers this year. Minnesota is ‘unbettable’ until they get off of his losing streak. Their pitching has been horrible over the past 8 games allowing a total of 65 runs or an average of 8.25 runs against per game. You can’t do that against a hard hitting team like Toronto.

BET TORONTO BLUE JAYS -185 OVER MINNESOTA TWINS