#Alejandro Kirk

This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson's Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, . And to get it regularly in your inbox. When Drew Carey was still hosting the show, he'd open by saying: "Welcome to'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', the show where everything is made up and the points don't matter." The same can be said about the…

The next player in our 2023 season preview series is newly-acquired first baseman Brandon Belt. First, here's a refresher on the projection system we're going to be taking a look at. STEAMER: 326 PA, 62 H, 13 HR, 40 RBI, .222/.323/.410, 111 wRC+, 0.6 WAR 2021: 381 PA, 89 H, 29 HR, 59 RBI, .274/.378/.597, 157 wRC+, 3.4 WAR 2022: 298 PA, 54 H, 14 HR,…

The Toronto Blue Jays are betting big on themselves come 2023. Bringing in three new position players into their everyday lineup, Toronto opted for a fairly massive roster overhaul after a disappointing end to the 2022 season that saw them crash out of the playoffs with a Wild Card series sweep loss against the Seattle Mariners. While names like…

While the Carlos Correa negotiations remain in a deadlock, the Blue Jays made (some) headlines yesterday by inking Brandon Belt to a one-year deal worth $9.6 million, per multiple. Belt, a longtime fixture of the Giants' offense, is expected to play first base and serve as Toronto's designated hitter. That means he'll be sharing time with Vladimir…

TORONTO - Wander Franco is back in the lineup on Tuesday afternoon as the Tampa Bay Rays get ready to tangle twice with the Toronto Blue Jays. It's a day/night doubleheader as the two teams try to make up games lost during the first week of the season before the lockout was settled. Franco, who came off the injured list on Friday, had three hits…

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to try and break out of the giant shadows cast by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL East ahead of the 2023 season. While general manager Ross Atkins and president Mark Shapiro have undergone heavy criticism for not pulling the trigger in the past, they have made some solid moves this winter, ahead of a…

This is one of baseball's most exciting weekends for those who follow and love the MLB draft process. Later today is the All-Star Futures Game, where two Blue Jays prospects Ricky Tiedemann and Yosver Zulueta made the roster and could potentially pitch an inning or two in the game at some point through the day (start time 4. p.m. PT). On Monday the…

When New York Yankees fans learned of the team's interest in a trio of Arizona Diamondbacks outfielders, the main worry was the Houston Astros swooping in at the last second to steal the best option available. Instead, it was the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays, who traded for outfielder Daulton Varsho last week. They sent top prospect Gabriel…

2022 Blue Jays Retrospective: Things go south, Charlie Montoyo takes the fall, and more Over the next few days, we'll be taking a look back at the year that was for the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto hit the "dog days" of summer in June. Emotionally derailing series' against the Yankees, Brewers, and White Sox triggered a multitude of question marks…

The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays will finish their three-game series with a Wednesday night matchup at Rogers Centre in Toronto. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Yankees-Blue Jays prediction and pick, laid out below. New York clinched the American League East with last night's 5-2 victory…

The Toronto Blue Jays are at home and ready to welcome the Houston Astros. The series will be the first of the season between the two teams. They will meet again this summer for one more series in Houston. The Blue Jays dropped the third game of the series with the Red Sox on Wednesday to go half a game behind the Yankees for the top spot in the…

There's no lineup hotter in baseball than the one Toronto has, and tonight it'll get a look at the veteran Adam Wainwright. Can St. Louis split the series? Find out in our MLB betting picks and predictions for Cardinals vs. Blue Jays. The Toronto Blue Jays post-All-Star game onslaught continued last night, as they blasted the St. Louis Cardinals…

It sounds more like the name of a movie or a book - Waiting for Godot, Waiting for Guffman, Waiting to Begin - but for now, it remains central to this impressive, fascinating and oddly puzzling Blue Jays season. The Jays have found themselves in the standings right about where they were expected to be - among the best teams in baseball. And they've…

The Toronto Blue Jays bats continued to make noise over the weekend, plating 17 runs in their three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. They'll look to keep swinging hot sticks when they open a four-game set with the Baltimore Orioles. The Blue Jays have ridden those bats to wins in 13 of their last 17 games but aren't any closer to tracking…

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Oakland A's will wrap up their three-game series at RingCentral Coliseum with some afternoon baseball this Wednesday. The Blue Jays have shockingly dropped the first two games of this series to the worst team in baseball, and have now lost each of their last five contests. Can Toronto recover and avoid the sweep in…

The first batch of MLB all-star voting results was revealed this week, which gives us a perfect opportunity to talk about the Toronto Blue Jays' brightest star. Of course, we mean Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who owns a 1.048 OPS this month. If your mind first drifted to Alejandro Kirk, don't worry - we'll mention him, too. As Toronto enjoys Thursday's…

Despite their series loss to the Twins, the Blue Jays' bats have been red hot. Looking to get back on track, expect those bats to take advantage of a slumping David Lunch, and as such, cruise to a comfortable series-opening win. The Toronto Blue Jays continue their string of series against American League Central opponents when they visit the…

The Blue Jays have absolutely no value on the moneyline against the pitiful Tigers with Alek Manoah on the mound. So we're getting creative with MLB betting markets, and have found some great picks for Friday night. The Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers will lock horns for Game Two of a four-game series on national television tonight. There…

Remember when the Oakland A's were trying to hold up the Cardinals in their trade demands for catcher Sean Murphy? Remember how they wanted Laars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan and one of the Cardinals' top young pitchers? After the Cardinals took a pass and signed free-agent Willson Contreras instead, the A's worked a three-way trade with Atlanta…

When I read today's ZiPS projections for the Blue Jays, I was struck by one clear weakness: starting pitching depth. The team boasts an impressive lineup across the board, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. the closest thing to a weak spot. Toronto also has two borderline aces in Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman. That sounds great, but the fourth and fifth…

The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles will square off in an AL East matchup Wednesday night in Baltimore. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Blue Jays-Orioles prediction and pick, laid out below. The Toronto Blue Jays have catapulted back into the playoff race, with a 75-60 record that puts…

The Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays will finish their epic five-game series at the Rogers Centre on Thursday afternoon. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Rays-Blue Jays prediction and pick, laid out below. Tampa Bay has lost two in a row in this series, falling to 79-63, seven and a half games…

The Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays will wrap up their three-game series in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes an Orioles-Blue Jays prediction and pick we have laid out below. Baltimore continues to dazzle after the All-Star break, with their 61-55 record placing…

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - As the Cardinals navigate the Winter Meetings this week in San Diego, the team has been consistently linked to one specific area of need more than any other. St. Louis is in the market for a catcher. With Yadier Molina retiring and the 2022 efforts by Andrew Knizner and prospect Ivan Herrera providing little confidence in…

Look for your mobile phone to light up with news updates this week as the Winter Meetings unfold in San Diego. The Toronto Blue Jays are going to be front and centre, as they look to upgrade their roster and take advantage of a closing competitive window led by star players like Bo Bichette, Vlad Guerrero, and Alek Manoah. Bichette will be a free…

Following an extra-inning gut-wrencher, the Toronto Blue Jays hope to avoid a sweep this afternoon against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. The pregame narrative: Matt Chapman has gone hitless in his last three, but overall has been solid in June. Alejandro Kirk looks to build off another big night and Ross Stripling has a chance to…

The Toronto Blue Jays enter Monday's off-day in the midst of a significant cold streak that's seen them drop nine of their last 10 games. With Yusei Kikuchi on the IL and Kevin Gausman's ankle injury continually pushing back his scheduled starts, the rotation is a mess. The return of Yimi Garcia has helped the bullpen, but it's still an…

The Boston Red Sox are set to host the Toronto Blue Jays today in the second matchup of a three-game set at Fenway Park. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Blue Jays-Red Sox prediction and pick we have laid out below. If the season ended today, the Blue Jays would find themselves in a wild card…

With all 30 teams in action today, there's no shortage of props to choose from. For today's MLB player prop picks we'll be looking at a pair of pitchers to bring their best stuff to the mound, and a Jays' slugger to keep mashing. It's an absolutely jam-packed day of action on the diamond with all 30 MLB teams taking the diamond, which means there…

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader between the Blue Jays and Guardians. Where: Progressive Field, Saturday 2:10 p.m. TV/radio: Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game. Teams: Blue Jays (16-11) vs. Guardians (12-13). Starting pitchers: RHP Kevin Gausman (2-1, 2.27) vs. RHP Shane…

To kick off a four-game series with the Orioles, the Blue Jays are sending one of baseball's best starters in Alek Manoah to the hill. With the O's countering with a shaky rookie, our MLB picks are expecting the Jays to have things pretty easy. The Toronto Blue Jays bats continued to make noise over the weekend, plating 17 runs in their three-game…

The Blue Jays and Red Sox finish their series Thursday night! It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Blue Jays-Red Sox prediction and pick. Toronto is looking for the 3-game sweep over their divisional rivals. The Jays are just a half-game behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2nd spot in the AL East. A win and a Rays loss to the Los Angeles…

Toronto is getting hot and visit Detroit to take on the worst offense in all of baseball tonight. We like the Jays to cover the run line and for Alejandro Kirk to go Over 1.5 total bases tonight. Find out more in our Blue Jays vs. Tigers betting picks. The Toronto Blue Jays continue their run of facing American League Central Division opponents…

On March 31, 2019, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Elvis Luciano became the first player born in the 2000s to reach the big leagues. In the years since, a wave of talented young players who weren't even born when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire were chasing down Roger Maris during the 1998 season has descended on Major League Baseball. 2022 Rookie of…

Days are getting hotter, and drinks are getting colder as summer baseball heats up. With all 30 teams on the diamond today, we like a certain Blue Jays' hitter to keep crushing and a pair of pitchers to keep hitters guessing in our MLB player prop picks. It's a classic getaway day in MLB and with all 30 teams in action, there are player props to…

Predictions are a fool's errand, but what are we if not hopelessly foolish for the teams we love? And what's another year of baseball if not for some foolhardy predications about the 2021 season? The Toronto Blue Jays made some big bets in free agency this winter with George Springer and Marcus Semien, and for the second consecutive offseason, they…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manuel Margot has had one hot bat lately, but he's also had a minor hamstring issue flare up. But after missing the final two games of the West Coast trip and getting more treatment on Thursday's off day, he's back in the lineup on Friday night when the Rays take on the Toronto Blue Jays. "I feel good. (Thursday) on the off…

The Toronto Blue Jays hope to build off a dominant 8-1 win on Friday with another decisive win over a weakened Kansas City Royals team. The pregame narrative: Teoscar Hernandez is the Blue Jays' hottest hitter, and should stay that way. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in a good spot to go deep, and Bo Bichette looks to thrive in his new role. Teoscar…

The Toronto Blue Jays host the Kansas City Royals for Game 1 of a 4-game series! It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Royals-Blue Jays prediction and pick. Before this series even started there has been a lot of newsworthy stuff going on in each clubhouse. Let's start with the away team, as the Royals enter Toronto down 10 men because…

The last time fans saw Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, he was hitting two homers in that painful 10-9 wild card series loss at Rogers Centre in October that ended their season. That was against the Seattle Mariners, who, ironically, just acquired the 30-year-old in a stunning trade announced earlier today. Hernandez goes to the…

There are 15 games in the MLB today, with plenty of props to choose from. We like a former Blue Jay to go Over his strikeout total tonight, and for a new Toronto addition to record Over 0.5 total bases. Find out more by reading our MLB player prop picks. The MLB season is here and so are all the glorious prop markets that come with it. We're…

Today the focus is on Christian Vazquez, the 32-year-old veteran free agent who is gaining in popularity with St. Louis media and fans. THE OVERVIEW: Vazquez spent seven-plus seasons with Boston before being traded to Houston last summer, and he teamed with Martin Maldonado to form a catching tandem that was part of the Astros' run to the World…

Coming off a 68-94 regular season and a last-place finish in the NL West, the Rockies seem to be a long way from contending for a postseason berth. They came into the 2022 season on a high note, signing top free agent Kris Bryant to a seven-year $182 million contract. Bryant, however, only appeared in 42 games due to injuries. Getting the 2016 NL…

After a sour end to their home stand, the Toronto Blue Jays hit the road on Independence Day to face the Oakland Athletics. The pregame narrative: The A's are coming off a rough road trip, with losses in six of their past seven games. Both starters in this game - Alek Manoah and Cole Irvin - have faced these respective lineups twice, with mixed…

Tonight, the Toronto Blue Jays host the St. Louis Cardinals attempting to extend their four-game home winning streak. The Toronto lineup has been very good as of late, and they will look to continue their production against St. Louis. To this point, the Blue Jays' offense ranks first in the MLB with a team batting average of.268. They will come up…

The annual MLB general manager meetings were held last week in Las Vegas, and the event is traditionally the rumor-filled calm before the storm. (It's also not to be confused with the winter meetings, which will take place in San Diego from Dec. 4-7 and is when a ton of wheeling and dealing goes down.) Free agents couldn't sign with new teams until…

Later this evening, the Toronto Blue Jays will be facing the Texas Rangers at the Rogers Centre, the first home opener on Canadian soil since 2019 due to Covid-19 restrictions forcing the club south of the border the last two years. This has fans excited, not just because baseball is back after the lockout negotiations had things looking bleak this…

This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson's Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, . And to get it regularly in your inbox. The biggest decision facing the Blue Jays this offseason is what they do with their talented trio of young catchers. It's a rare and fascinating problem to have, with three starting-calibre options…

A series opener between the Toronto Blue Jays (13-7) and Houston Astros (10-9) is scheduled for Friday at 7:07 PM ET, at Rogers Centre. The Astros are an away underdog (+100) at the Blue Jays (-120). The Blue Jays will start Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) against the Astros and Jose Urquidy (1-1). The Blue Jays won their most recent game against the Red Sox…

The Cardinals are in the market for a catcher. Hopefully they'll be smart about this and view the opening as an opportunity to upgrade their offense. Defense must be a consideration, which doesn't really need to be stated. But in this case the defensive requirement has been overstated, with too much attention being paid to the standard established…