The Red Sox hold a slim first place lead over the Blue Jays in the AL East. Wednesday in Florida (Toronto’s Covid home) the Sox send RHP Garrett Richards (3-2) to square off against the Blue Jays RHP Ross Stripling (0-2). The Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last 10 but I think Boston will have the advantage in this one with Richards on the bump. My pick, Boston wins in Florida.
Blue Jays don’t usually migrate, trust me I ‘binged’ it. So what the Toronto Blue Jays are doing this season might be called ‘temporary relocation’ (thanks Covid). The Jays are playing home games in Dunedin, Florida (on the Gulf side) as Canadian leaders in their true home of Toronto, Canada have deemed the flights to and from the USA too risky. If the Jays miss playing in the Rogers Center their record isn’t showing it, Toronto, at 22-17 as of Tuesday, is just a game and a half out of first in the AL East and has won 7 of 10. The Blue Jays are 9-5 in their Florida home this season. At “home” in Florida Wednesday night Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo will look to righty Ross Stripling (0-2) to start against the Boston bats. Stripling is off to a shaky start in ‘21 and has thrown 21 ⅓ innings in 5 starts this season and has a 5.91 ERA and a WHIP of 1.69. Stripling is 0-0 at home in Florida this season and has a slightly better ERA at 5.79. Expect Montoyo to pull Stripling somewhere after the 4th. The Blue Jays bullpen has the league’s 4th best ERA at 3.15 and is 7th among bullpens with 167 K’s. Righty Tyler Chatwood is having a nice season for the Jays and already has 8 holds in ‘21 with a 0.61 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP. At the plate the Blue Jays have been better than average and are 2nd in MLB in team home runs with 56 on the season. The Jays are also 6th in slugging % at .416 and 8th in runs scored with 192. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads Toronto in most offensive categories from the DH spot. Guerrero has 11 HR, a .319 average, a .440 OBP and 44 hits. Center Fielder Randal Girchuk leads the Jays with 30 RBI. Boston continues to hang onto first place in the AL East and offense has played a huge part. The Red Sox lead MLB in Runs with 217, Slugging % at .446, they are 2nd in MLB batting .264, and are 6th in OBP at .326 and HR with 53. Providing pop at the plate Boston’s leaders are shortstop Xander Bogaerts .344 BA, 3B Rafael Devers 11 HR and 34 RBI and Left Fielder J.D. Martinez who leads the club with a .420 OBP and 52 hits. Wednesday RHP Garrett Richards will get his 8th start of the season, he has a 3-2 record, a 3.89 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. On the road Garrett is 2-0 with a 2.48 ERA. Richards is averaging 5 ⅔ inning per outing this season. If you are here for MLB betting odds then take note that Boston’s bullpen has a 3.74 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP on the season. Righty reliever Adam Ottavino has 9 holds so far in ‘21 and if there is a closing situation Boston will call on big Matt Barnes who has 9 saves with a great 0.54 WHIP and a 2.66 ERA. So how will this game play out? Boston is on the road where Garrett has been at his best this year. Plus, with all the snow-birds from the East coast this may feel like a home game for Boston. I think the Sox bats will get to Stripling early and do enough damage to get a win on the road. Bet Boston to win.
