Toronto Blue Jays vs Miami Marlins Picks and Predictions September 29th 2024

Toronto is the heavy favorite on the money line today, as they are sitting at -167 compared to the Marlins at +141. This interleague matchup is taking place at 3:07 PM ET from Rogers Centre in Toronto, and the Blue Jays are 5th in the AL East, while the Marlins are 5th in the NL East.

The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and SNET will be televising this one. Xzavion Curry is starting for the Marlins, and they are 60-100, while the Blue Jays are going with Yariel Rodriguez.

Miami vs. Toronto Key Information

Miami is sending Xzavion Curry to the mound today, and he has made 15 appearances this year, including four starts. Curry’s ERA for the season is 5.02, along with a record of 1-2. Looking at his overall numbers, opponents are batting .242 this year. The last time he pitched was on September 22nd out of the bullpen. In that outing, he went one inning, giving up one earned run, one hit, and one walk. Curry didn’t give up a homer in that appearance. He finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings. So far, he has made seven appearances on the road and has a record of 1-2 with a 3.17 ERA.

As a team, the Marlins are averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 28th in the league. However, they have been slightly better at home, averaging 4.2 runs per game. Overall, they are batting .243, which is 9th in the league, but their on-base percentage of .300 is just 20th in the MLB. Miami’s team OPS of .678 is also 25th in the league.

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Jake Burger has been the Marlins’ top power threat this season, as his 29 home runs are 13th in the league. He also leads the team with 76 RBIs. Over his last nine games, Jonah Bride has gone 11/34 with four homers and seven RBIs. This has extended his hitting streak to six games.

Right-hander Yariel Rodríguez gets the start for the Blue Jays today as he faces the Marlins at home. He has made 20 starts this season and has a record of 1-7 with an ERA of 4.41. Opponents are batting .223 this season off Rodríguez, and he has a WHIP of 1.32. This year, he has turned in two quality starts and is averaging 8.82 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Rodríguez took the loss, giving up three earned runs in four innings of work. Before that, he had gone three straight outings without taking the loss.

For the season, the Blue Jays are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is only 20th in the league. As a team, they are batting .243, which is 9th in the league. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been their top hitter this season, as he is batting .326 with a league-leading 103 RBIs and 30 home runs, which is 12th in the MLB. He has also gone 11/26 in his last six games.

George Springer comes into the game on a three-game hitting streak, but he is batting just .220 for the season. Springer does have 19 homers, which is 2nd on the team, and is 3rd on the team with 56 RBIs. Ernie Clement has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 7/21 in his last six games.

There should be no shortage of offense in today’s Marlins and Blue Jays matchup, and not only are we leaning towards the Marlins picking up the win, but we like our chances of this one going over 8.5 runs. Between the two starters, we have Xzavion Curry finishing with more strikeouts than Yariel Rodríguez for the Blue Jays.

Marlins Bid for Series Sweep in Season Finale vs. Blue Jays

The Miami Marlins look to conclude their disappointing season on a high note as they aim to sweep the Toronto Blue Jays in their three-game series finale on Sunday afternoon.

Marlins Find Success with Late-Season Push

The Marlins (61-100) have been in fine form, winning three consecutive games and four of their last five. They cruised to an 8-1 victory over the struggling Blue Jays (74-87) on Saturday, following a 15-5 win in Friday’s series opener. Despite their struggles this season, the Marlins have shown resilience in the final stretch.

Miami’s bench coach Luis Urueta has stepped in to manage the team for the last two games, with manager Skip Schumaker returning home to California due to a family medical issue. Urueta praised the team’s effort, stating, “The boys have been playing super hard. It was a pretty easy game to manage.”

Miami’s Offense Continues to Shine

Dane Myers powered Miami’s offense on Saturday, delivering a three-run homer and a two-run double for a career-best five RBIs. The Marlins’ bats have come alive, with Griffin Conine also contributing three hits and an RBI on Saturday, adding to his 2-for-5 performance with a homer and three RBIs in Friday’s opener.

“Everyone is just taking care of their at-bats. Everyone wants to finish strong. Hitting is contagious,” Conine said.

The Marlins have excelled early in games, scoring two runs in the first inning on Saturday and three in the first on Friday. In fact, Miami has now scored nine first-inning runs in their last four games. Urueta credits the team’s preparation, noting, “Guys are ready; they’re game-planning against the starters. It gives you a little bit of confidence to start the game.”

Blue Jays Seek to Avoid Sweep and Make History

For the Blue Jays, avoiding an embarrassing sweep in the season finale is the primary goal, but there is also an individual milestone on the line. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 0-for-4 on Saturday and still needs one hit to reach 200 hits for the season. If achieved, he would become just the sixth player in Blue Jays history to do so. Manager John Schneider is considering moving Guerrero to the leadoff spot on Sunday to increase his chances of getting that historic hit.

Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk saw his 18-game hitting streak come to an end after going 0-for-3 with a walk on Saturday. One positive for the Blue Jays was Nathan Lukes hitting his first career major league home run in the first inning. “It’s every kid’s dream to knock that off the bucket list,” said Lukes, who, at 30 years old, became the fourth-oldest Blue Jays player to hit his first career homer.

Miami’s Strong Pitching Performance

The Marlins received a solid outing from Xzavion Curry, who allowed just one run and two hits over five innings. Darren McCaughan followed with four innings of two-hit ball, earning the save. Urueta was pleased with the performance, especially after Miami’s bullpen was stretched thin following a 13-inning victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.

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Pitching Matchups for Season Finale

The Marlins are set to start left-hander Ryan Weathers (4-6, 3.81 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale. Weathers will be facing the Blue Jays for the first time.

Toronto has yet to announce a formal starter but is expected to use an opener, followed by left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (5-2, 3.32 ERA). Yarbrough has been effective in his career against the Marlins, posting a 1.89 ERA in eight appearances (three starts).

Blue Jays’ Roster Moves

Ahead of Saturday’s game, Toronto made a roster move, recalling right-hander Nick Robertson from Triple-A Buffalo and optioning left-hander Easton Lucas to their spring training complex. Robertson pitched a clean ninth inning in Saturday’s loss.

The Blue Jays played without infielder Leo Jimenez, who is dealing with right knee inflammation after jamming his knee during a play at second base on Friday.