MLB Predictions: O’s vs Blue Jays Lines
The Baltimore Orioles will make the trip north of the border to the Rogers Centre where they will take on the Toronto Blue Jays. The teams will open a three-game set on Tuesday night. Toronto returns home after a 10-game road trip, while the Orioles make the trip after splitting a four-game series in Boston.
Baltimore Orioles (9-9) at Toronto Blue Jays (10-9)
Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Time: 7:07 PM ET
Venue: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
O/U Odds: 8.5
Money Line: Toronto -140, Baltimore +129
Pitching Matchup: RH Miguel Gonzalez (1-1, 6.28 ERA) at RH R.A. Dickey (1-3, 6.26 ERA)
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The Blue Jays certainly hoped for more this season from R.A. Dickey, who came to town a year ago fresh off a Cy Young-season with the New York Mets. Dickey’s back problems, which plagued his 2013 campaign, were reportedly behind him, and he was set to get back to form this season.
That hasn’t been the case, as Dickey has struggled this year, and Tuesday’s game against the Orioles could be another rough outing. Dickey issued five walks in his last start against Minnesota, upping his season average to 5.9 per nine innings, well above his career high.
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That will pose a problem against a patient Orioles lineup, that drew 10 walks in 18 ⅔ innings against Dickey a year ago. In those starts, Dickey posted a 7.71 ERA with a 1.71 WHIP, all while allowing Orioles batters to hit for a .301 clip.
The Orioles have experienced a bit of a power outage of late, going without a home run in five of their last six games, but they are hitting for a .290 clip while averaging 5.4 runs per game in those contests.
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They may not need many runs to back starter Miguel Gonzalez. In five starts against the Blue Jays a year ago, Gonzalez went 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, while limiting Blue Jays hitters to a .179 batting average.
He will face a Blue Jays lineup that was happy to get back shortstop Jose Reyes on Saturday. He’s like facing the Orioles in his career, hitting safely in 14 of 15 games against them. Teammate Jose Bautista has reached base in all 19 games this season, and teammate Melky Cabrera has a hit in 18 of 19 games this season.
It’s getting harder and harder to have faith in Dickey, as it’s just seeming unlikely that he’s going to figure things out. The Orioles are a tough matchup for him, as they proved a year ago, and this could end up as another outing the knuckleballer would like to forget.
The Orioles are 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last five starts against American League East opponents, while the Blue Jays are 1-4 in their last five games as a favorite.
The over is 5-1 in the Orioles’ last six playoff games, and 7-2-1 in the Blue Jays’ last 10 home games.
The play: Baltimore +129, Over 8.5
