The Yankees look to continue their run as the best team in Baseball this season when they visit Toronto for three games with the Blue Jays beginning Friday night. Lefty Jordan Montgomery takes the pill for New York here against righty Ross Stripling for Toronto.
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MLB Betting Odds
Friday’s baseball betting lines opened this game at right around a pick ‘em, with an over/under of 9 runs. Both those figures were holding steady in the early betting action but some public money has come in on the Yankees to knock them up a notch to -115.
Yankees-Blue Jays MLB Betting Preview
New York just swept three games at home from Tampa Bay, winning Thursday’s series finale 2-1 on a Rizzo home run in the bottom of the ninth. Just before that, the Yankees swept three games from the Cubs, and just before that, they took two of three at Minnesota. So New York rides a seven-game winning streak into Friday night.
At 47-16 overall, the Yankees lead Houston by eight games in the battle for the best record in the American League.
Meanwhile, Toronto split four games at home with Baltimore, losing Thursday’s series finale 10-2. Just before that, the Blue Jays took two of three at Detroit, and just before that, they took two of three at Kansas City. So Toronto is 6-4 over its last ten games.
At 37-26 overall, the Blue Jays trail division-leading New York by ten games in the AL East, but they also lead the AL wild-card race by two games over the second-place Rays.
The Yankees lead the season series with Toronto six games to three.
Friday’s Pitching Match-Up
This pitching match-up is a rematch of a game played back on May 2 of this season, a 3-2 New York victory.
Stripling is 1/7 on quality starts this season, to go along with eight appearances in relief. Last Sunday, he held Detroit scoreless on one hit through six innings of a 6-0 Toronto win. And just before that, he held Kansas City scoreless on one hit through five frames of an 8-0 Blue Jays victory.
Toronto is 4-3 when Stripling starts this season, and that’s about what they should be, based on his performances.
Over three career starts against the Yankees, two last year, and the one back in May, Stripling allowed eight runs – seven earned – and 16 hits through 14 innings. Thanks to some poor run support, the Blue Jays lost all three of those games, and all three games played under their totals.
Lefty Montgomery is 6/12 on quality starts this year, working on a run of four in a row. Last Saturday, he held the Cubs scoreless on five hits through seven innings of an 8-0 New York win. And over his last four starts, he’s allowed just five runs and 18 hits through 26 1/3 innings.
The Yankees are 6-6 with Montgomery this year, 4-0 his last four times out.
Over his last three starts against Toronto, two last year and the one back in May, Montgomery allowed ten runs – nine earned – and 16 hits through 15 innings. The Yanks won all three of those games.
Splits With the Sticks
New York is batting .249 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .331 team OBP and a .433 team slugging percentage.
Toronto is slashing .281/.360/.463 against left-handed pitching. The Blue Jays have also scored at least five runs seven times over their last ten games.
The Bullpens
The Toronto bullpen owns a 3.98 ERA this season, along with a 1.20 WHIP.
The Yankees pen owns a 2.83 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. This unit is operating without closer Chapman, who’s out with an Achilles injury, but they haven’t seemed to miss him too much.
- Get more details: NY Yankees at Toronto 6/17/22 Betting Stats
MLB Betting Trends
- The Yankees are 18-9 on the road this season and 32-11 against right-handed starters.
- The Blue Jays are 20-12 at home and 7-6 against left-handed starters.
Totals Report
- The Under is 34-28 in Yankees games this season.
- The O/U is split 31-31 in Blue Jays games.
- The Over is 10-0 over the last ten games played at Rogers Centre.
- The Under is a combined 14-5 when Stripling and Montgomery start this season.
