Toronto Blue Jays vs La Angels Angels Picks and Predictions August 24th 2024

The Blue Jays will be looking to extend their two-game winning streak, as they are facing off against the Angels, who have lost three in a row. This AL matchup is taking place at 3:07 PM ET at Rogers Centre in Toronto, and the Blue Jays are favored on the money line (-165). The money line odds for the Angels are sitting at +139, and they are 5th in the AL West, while the Blue Jays are 5th in the AL East.

Today’s over/under line is at 8.5 runs, and SNET will be televising this one. Carson Fulmer is starting for the Angels, and he is facing off against Bowden Francis for the Blue Jays.

Los Angeles vs. Toronto Key Information

Right-hander Carson Fulmer gets the start for the Angels today as he faces the Blue Jays on the road. He has made seven starts this year and has a record of 0-4 with an ERA of 4.24. Fulmer’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.29. In his 31 appearances, he has only turned in one quality start and is averaging 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are batting .211 off Fulmer this year. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up two earned runs in four innings of work. Before that, he had given up five earned runs in three straight outings.

Heading into today’s game, the Angels are near the bottom of the league in runs scored, averaging just 4 runs per game. This is also the case for their home run numbers, as they are just 20th in the league in that category. As a team, they are batting just .234, which is 18th in the league. Zach Neto has been their top power threat this season, with 19 homers and a team-leading 63 RBIs, but he is hitting just .185 over his last seven games.

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Jo Adell is also struggling in terms of batting average, hitting just .214 for the season. However, he does have 18 homers, which is 2nd on the team. Adell is also on a seven-game hitting streak. Taylor Ward is on a four-game hitting streak, and Nolan Schanuel has a hit in eight straight games.

Bowden Francis gets the start for the Blue Jays today and is coming off a great outing vs. the Cubs. In that August 18th start, he went seven innings, picking up the win and didn’t allow a run. Looking back further, he has made two straight starts and didn’t allow more than one earned run in either outing. Francis’ record for the season is 6-3, and he has an ERA of 4.38. Opposing batters are hitting .232 this season vs. Francis. Out of his 21 appearances, he has two quality starts. Per nine innings, Francis is averaging 8.2 strikeouts and just 2.26 walks.

So far this season, the Blue Jays are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 19th in the league. As a team, they are batting .240, which is 13th in the MLB. Toronto’s offense has been led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is hitting .316 for the season and has a league-high 81 RBIs. His 26 homers are also the best mark on the team and 12th in the league. George Springer has also been a big power threat, with 17 homers, but he is batting just .219 so far this season.

Currently, Ernie Clement and Justin Turner are both on four-game hitting streaks for the Blue Jays. Clement has three homers in his last six games but is hitting just .217 in that stretch. George Springer has also gone deep three times in his last seven games but is batting just .226 in that stretch.

There should be no shortage of offense in today’s Angels vs. Blue Jays matchup, and our lean would be towards taking the over. For a straight-up pick, we are leaning towards the Blue Jays to come out on top. The Angels offense has the 5th worst projected runs scored figure, and Carson Fulmer has the 5th worst strikeout projection among today’s starters.

Blue Jays Aim to Keep Winning Streak Alive Against Angels

The Toronto Blue Jays are riding a wave of energy as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Angels in the third game of their four-game series. The Blue Jays have been dominant against the Angels this season, winning all five of their matchups, including the initial two games of this series. A success on Saturday would get the series triumph and expand their unbeaten go against Los Angeles.

A vital figure in Toronto’s new achievement has been correct hander Bowden Francis. Francis, who will take the hill on Saturday, has been in brilliant structure over his past two starts, the two of which were on the road. In these excursions, Francis pitched seven innings each, allowing only one disagreement the two games consolidated. He’s struck out 15 batters without giving a solitary walk, showcasing remarkable control and balance.

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Francis previously faced the Angels on August 12 in Anaheim, where he conveyed a stellar performance, holding them to one sudden spike in demand for only one hit — a performance grand slam by Mickey Moniak — in a 4-2 Blue Jays triumph. He followed that up with another solid excursion against the Chicago Offspring, leading Toronto to a 1-0 win by surrendering just three hits more than seven innings.

This new run of structure marks a significant turnaround for Francis, who battled earlier in the season. After an intense start, he was moved to the warm up area and spent a large part of the year as a reliever. In any case, since rejoining the rotation in late July, Francis has been absolutely noteworthy. Over his past five starts, he has posted a 3-0 record with a 1.88 ERA and 27 strikeouts north of 28 2/3 innings.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider has been full of praise for Francis, acknowledging the challenges he faced earlier in the season and lauding his ability to seize his current opportunity:

“Can’t say enough about him. What we asked of him early in the year, it’s tough to do. From spring training, he wanted to be a starter, and it didn’t work out at the beginning. And he’s getting a chance now and he’s taken it and run with it.”

Francis himself has noticed a difference in his approach and effectiveness as a starter:

“I can slow the game down. I can speed it up if I want to. When you come in as a reliever, the game’s already set at a tempo. The hitters, they’re toeing in differently. As a starter, you can play a little more chess. Relievers, it’s more like checkers.”

Angels’ Struggles Continue

On the other side, the Los Angeles Angels have been struggling, particularly against the Blue Jays. Right-hander Carson Fulmer is scheduled to start for the Angels on Saturday, but his previous outings against Toronto haven’t been encouraging. In his last start against the Blue Jays on August 13, Fulmer allowed five runs on five hits over just three innings, including home runs to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Spencer Horwitz, leading to a 6-1 loss.

Fulmer has been hard on himself following that performance, recognizing the need to improve:

“Frustrating part for me is, I personally am pretty hard on myself. I think it’s unacceptable for something like that to happen. We have a tight-knit group. We show up every day ready to play. I’m not going to say the (Blue Jays) are not as good as somebody else. It’s the big leagues. Everybody is here for a reason. We have to show up and be ready to play. But it starts with me. I need to do a better job of getting deeper into games.”

The Angels will need a stronger showing from Fulmer if they hope to avoid falling to 0-6 against Toronto this season.

Toronto’s Offense Keeps Rolling

The Blue Jays’ offense continues to deliver in clutch moments, as evidenced by their dramatic 5-4 walk-off win on Friday night. Joey Loperfido and Addison Barger hit back-to-back home runs to open the bottom of the ninth inning, securing Toronto’s fourth walk-off victory of the season.

Daulton Varsho has been a consistent contributor, going 2-for-4 on Friday and extending his on-base streak to 21 games, the longest active streak in the American League. During this stretch, Varsho is batting .282 with two home runs and eight RBIs, providing a steady presence in the Blue Jays’ lineup.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who had the day off on Friday, is expected to return to the lineup, adding even more firepower to a team that has been finding ways to win close games.

The Angels, meanwhile, will hope for the return of Mickey Moniak, who missed Friday’s game with an elbow issue but is expected to play on Saturday.

Roster Moves

The Angels made a couple of roster adjustments on Friday, selecting the contract of right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn and designating right-hander Mike Baumann for assignment. These moves highlight the ongoing changes the team is making as they look to find the right mix to finish the season strong.

As the Blue Jays and Angels prepare for Saturday’s game, all eyes will be on Bowden Francis as he looks to continue his impressive run and help Toronto clinch the series. With both teams having much to play for, this matchup promises to be another exciting chapter in their season series.