Blue Jays vs. Yankees MLB Picks: Pitcher's Duel on Tap
In the second game of a four-game series in the Bronx, the Toronto Blue Jays will send their best pitcher on the road in Kevin Gausman out on the mound while Jameson Taillon takes the hill for the New York Yankees in hopes of continuing his success against this Blue Jays lineup this season. Here’s our Blue Jays-Yankees picks.
Once the hottest team in baseball, things haven’t been pretty for the Yankees since the All-Star break. Now 9-18 since the break, the Yankees have lost three of the four games on their current homestand, including a 9-2 loss last night to the Blue Jays.
While the Blue Jays have been streaky all season, they hope to use this series versus a slumping Yankees team as a means for their bats to find their groove. They currently hold the final wild-card spot in the American League, but the Minnesota Twins trail them by only 1.5 games and are currently on a three-game win streak.
Here are my MLB picks and predictions for Friday night’s game between the Blue Jays and Yankees (odds via FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5 scale).
Blue Jays vs. Yankees Game Info
Date/Time: Friday, Aug. 19, 7:06 p.m. ET
Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y.
Weather: 84 degrees, 0% chance of precipitation, 5-mph wind
Blue Jays vs. Yankees Odds Analysis
The Blue Jays are the moneyline favorites at most sportsbooks, ranging from -104 at FanDuel to -110 at DraftKings, though DraftKings has the line set at -110 for both the Blue Jays and Yankees.
The total is set at 8 at all major sportsbooks.
Blue Jays vs. Yankees Projected Pitchers
Kevin Gausman (8-9, 3.16 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) vs. Jameson Taillon (11-3, 3.95 ERA, 1.13 WHIP)
Gausman’s had a pretty up-and-down first season with the Blue Jays, but if one thing has been consistent, it’s his performance on the road. He’s 5-3 with a 1.83 ERA in 10 away starts.
Though he’s coming off a rough home start versus the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday where he allowed five earned runs on nine hits in what was ultimately a 7-2 loss for the Blue Jays, not only can he bounce back with a quality start on the road, he also has proven success this year against this Yankees lineup. This time he’ll be facing a slumping offense missing some key batters.
Gausman last saw the Yankees on April 14 when he allowed just two earned runs with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Taillon has had quite a bit of success against the Blue Jays. Taillon’s 3-1 with a 2.05 ERA in four games against Toronto. In games started by Taillon, the Yankees have gone 17-6, and he’s earned 11 of those 17 wins.
It should be noted the Yankees lineup has hit well for Taillon over the course of the season. In his starts, their lineup averages 5.74 runs per game.
Blue Jays vs. Yankees Picks
Blue Jays vs. Yankees ML Pick
Blue Jays (-104)
The Yankees are batting .188 as a team over their last eight games and are 4-12 in the month of August. They have a league top-five strikeout rate of 24.9, and on top of it all, Judge is just 2-for-21 in his last six games, batting .095.
Now, factor in Gausman’s 1.83 ERA on the road, his previous outing against a much stronger Yankees lineup, and his ability to last longer in games than Taillon, it doesn’t seem as if things are going to be getting much better for the Yankees on Friday.
The Blue Jays have also struggled recently and are 4-6 over their last 10 games, but their biggest issue has also been their offense, though it finally seems to be picking up steam. They’ve scored 15 runs in their last 12 innings, George Springer went 5-for-5 last night versus the Yankees, and Vlad Guerrero Jr. hit his 26th home run of the year.
The Blue Jays are trending in the right direction, whereas the Yankees still have a lot of problems to resolve.
Blue Jays vs. Yankees O/U Pick
Under 8 (-105)
Given the amount of success both these starters have against the opposing team, that alone leads me to take the Under.
Factor in the once potent Yankees offense batting .188 in their last eight and now trying to bounce back facing Gausman on the road, I don’t see them finding the offensive explosion they’ve been waiting for Friday night.
Though the Blue Jays may once again be finding their groove, if Taillon can go at least six innings for a quality start, he has the ability to contain them.
Blue Jays vs. Yankees Prop Pick
Judge to hit a home run (+210)
The top AL MVP contender can’t stay quiet forever. Judge is long overdue for a big game, and even just one home run can set the wheels in motion for him.
Judge in particular hits well when Taillon’s on the mound, and as we’ve come to find out, the Yankees offense goes as Judge goes.
Per Buster Olney, the Yankees slugger is batting .371 and is 33-for-89 with 15 home runs and 30 RBIs in Taillon’s 22 starts.
Where to bet on Blue Jays vs. Yankees Bets
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Blue Jays-Yankees picks from 8/19/2022 at 12:59 p.m. ET
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