A's vs Blue Jays Prediction, Picks, Odds

Oakland and Toronto will meet again on Saturday after the A's pulled out the upset in Game 1. However, with Jose Berrios on the mound and trends leaning toward an Oakland regression, our MLB picks are siding with the Under in this matchup.

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It’s been an underwhelming season so far for the Toronto Blue Jays as we approach the halfway point — and they’re again looking to climb back into a series as they face the lowly Oakland Athletics this afternoon.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke out of his June slump with a three-run dinger last night but it wasn’t enough for Toronto, who fell to a 5-4 loss and dropped the opener for the fifth time in its last six series.

Yesterday's game saw a good amount of offense, but I'm leaning toward a more conservative outing in my free MLB picks for the Athletics vs. Blue Jays on June 24.

A's vs Blue Jays odds

A's vs Blue Jays predictions

Frustrations are mounting for the Toronto Blue Jays, with their erratic form denting their chances of closing the gap in the AL East. Coming off two wins in Miami at the end of a nine-game road trip, a return to Rogers Centre against the struggling A’s seemed like a gift from the schedule-makers. But Toronto let another W slip away.

Still, I expect Jose Berrios to steady the ship this afternoon as he goes head-to-head with Oakland’s Hogan Harris, who’s making just his third career start. In fact, with Berrios inching back to ace status and the 26-year-old Harris an unknown for the Toronto hitters, runs could come at a premium today.

That’s supported by both teams trending toward the Under this month. It’s 6-1-1 in Oakland’s last eight contests and 4-1 in Toronto’s last five against a lefty starter.

Most of all, I’m looking at the visitors’ five-run effort last night as an outlier. The A’s are rock bottom in the league in runs scored, RBIs, and batting average — and there are only two teams with fewer hits this year.

The limited power in the Oakland line-up strengthens the case for the Under here, as does Berrios’ 2.37 ERA pitching at home this year.

My best bet: Under 8.5 runs (-101 at SIA)

A's vs Blue Jays same-game parlay

Under 8.5 runs

Berrios Under 5.5 Ks

Springer Over 0.5 hits

I’ve made the case for the Under, with Berrios and Harris getting the upper hand, and this SGP brings in two other tasty props for this afternoon’s contest. 

I’m high on Berrios having a solid outing (he’s 3-1 at home this season) but he hasn’t piled up the Ks even while turning in a strong run of starts this month. He’s had five strikeouts or fewer in five of his last six games, and I’m leaning towards the Under again here.

Springer entered yesterday’s game on a five-game hit streak and, while that ended with a 0-for-3 night at the plate, he’s slowly turning the corner. Much of the attention has been directed to Guerrero Jr.’s rough stretch, but the Blue Jays need Springer to boost his .259 average. I see him delivering this afternoon.

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A's vs Blue Jays moneyline and Over/Under analysis

A second straight loss to the A’s is almost unthinkable for a Toronto team trying to reel in the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles in the AL East, and the hosts are high-priced favorites here.

The Blue Jays certainly have the experience edge on the mound today, though it’s worth noting Toronto is 2-8 in its last 10 home games against a left-handed starter. But it’s harder to trust the A’s in this spot, who are 2-8 in their last 10 contests.

While last night’s game served up nine runs, the A’s scored four runs on just five hits, and the numbers still scream Under for this afternoon’s game. That’s been a winning ticket in four of the teams’ last five meetings and it’s 4-0-1 in the visitors’ last five outings against a team with a winning record.

Six of Oakland’s last eight games have featured eight runs or fewer, while the Blue Jays’ offense has been sputtering this month. The hosts were shut out in Miami on Monday night and they’ve only scored four runs or more in three of their last nine contests.

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Trend to know

The Blue Jays’ recent matchups against the AL West have been a magnet for the Under, which is 5-1-1 in Toronto’s last seven battles with that division. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Blue Jays

A's vs Blue Jays game info

Starting pitchers

Hogan Harris (2-1, 4.45 ERA): Harris is just starting out in the big leagues but he’s caught the eye despite Oakland’s rough season. He’s coming off a strong outing against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, going six innings and allowing just two runs on four hits.

Jose Berrios (7-5, 3.64 ERA): Berrios got roughed up by the Miami Marlins on Monday, but there’s no arguing with his other starts in June. He went at least six innings in his prior three starts, allowing a combined three runs in those games and giving the Blue Jays much-needed stability on the mound.