Blue Jays-Reds prediction: Picks, odds on Saturday, August 19

After a dramatic walk-off win on Friday helped them keep pace in the crowed NL Wild Card chase, the Cincinnati Reds look to make it two in a row in their crucial interleague set with the Toronto Blue Jays. First pitch from Great American Ball Park is slated for 6:40 p.m. EST. Toronto will send righty Chris Bassitt (11-6, 3.95 ERA) to the mound against Cincy rookie Brandon Williamson (4-2, 4.33).

Both these teams are firmly in the hunt for playoff spots, with the Reds sitting just out of the NL Central lead, 2.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers, and tied with the Marlins for the final NL Wild Card spot. The Jays, meanwhile, have dropped two in a row and now find themselves looking up at the streaking Seattle Mariners for the third and final Wild Card spot in the AL.

Toronto enters as -142 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the Reds at +120. The run total is set at 9.5.

Blue Jays-Reds picks: Saturday, August 19

Injury report

Blue Jays

Out: SS Bo Bichette (right patellar tendinitis), RP Trevor Richards (neck inflammation), OF Kevin Kiermaier (right elbow laceration)

Reds

Out: SP Hunter Greene (right hip), 2B Jonathan India (left foot plantar fasciitis), SP Ben Lively (right pectoral strain), OF Jake Fraley (stress fracture in left fourth toe), C Curt Casali (left foot contusion)

Starting pitchers

Chris Bassitt vs. Brandon Williamson

Bassitt hasn’t been overly flashy in his first season with Toronto, but he has been consistent, with a 3.95 ERA on the season and a 3.60 mark over his last seven games. The righty has gone fewer than six innings in just two of his last nine outings, churning out something close to a quality start just about every time out regardless of opponent or context.

Williamson has been a big surprise for a Cincinnati rotation that desperately needed one. The rookie is 3-0 in his last seven starts, and he’s playing his best baseball of late with just two runs allowed and 15 strikeouts over 12.1 innings across his last two starts. He’s racked up 36 Ks since the start of July and has an ERA of just 2.89 over that span.

Over/Under pick

Yesterday’s game was a 1-0 win for the Reds, as both of these offenses continue to be maddeningly inconsistent. Both pitchers are in good form right now as well, so despite the offense-friendly environment in Cincy, this total could be hard to reach.

Pick: Under 9.5

Moneyline pick

As good as Williamson has been of late, this Blue Jays lineup is still awfully tough on lefties, and I have a little bit more faith in Bassitt’s ability to keep runs off the board. With Toronto desperately needing a win to keep pace in the AL Wild Card chase, I think they get it done and even this series up on Saturday.