MLB Baseball Betting: Toronto Blue Jays at Houston Astros

The Toronto Blue Jays are still one game back of the first place Baltimore Orioles in the AL East race after both teams managed to win on Wednesday. The Orioles took a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers while the Blue Jays beat Houston 3-1. The series concludes today before Toronto heads to Kansas City to take on the struggling Royals. The Blue Jays are now 61-47 on the year and have won 2 straight and 7 of their last 10. Houston is 56-51 and are 5.5 games back of the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West but they’ve lost 7 of 10.

Toronto will start lefthander J.A. Happ who has been solid all season and in very good form of late. The Jays are 16-5 in Happ’s 21 starts including 6-4 in his 10 road starts and 3-0 in his last three assignments. For the year, Happ has a 3.16 ERA with a 1.160 WHIP with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.102 WHIP on the road. He’s been exceptional in his last three starts with a 1.93 ERA and a 0.911 WHIP striking out 22 and walking 8. That could be bad news for an Astros team that has struggled against southpaws this season with a 14-19 -19.4 units record averaging 3.8 runs per game and hitting .224.

The Astros will counter with right hander Michael Fiers who has been money in the bank for Houston at home. Overall, Fiers has a 4.42 ERA and a 1.340 WHIP with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.178 WHIP at home. Houston has a record of 11-8 in his 19 starts but they’re 9-2 when Fiers starts at home. They’re 1-2 in his last three starts with Fiers putting up a 4.76 ERA and a 1.353 WHIP. If Fiers struggles, Toronto will make him pay–the Jays have hit right handed pitching very well this year putting up a record of 46-31 +6.7 units while hitting .256 averaging 5.3 runs per game.

Everything points to Toronto in this matchup. They’ve got the ‘carrot’ of the AL East lead dangling in front of them and have a favorable pitching matchup. Happ has been in very good form and should have a strong game against Houston while Fiers could have problems with the hard hitting Toronto bats that have dominated right handers this season.

BET TORONTO BLUE JAYS -120 OVER HOUSTON ASTROS