Atlanta Braves vs Toronto Blue Jays Picks and Predictions September 8th 2024

From Truist Park in Atlanta, we have the Blue Jays and Braves facing off in an interleague matchup. Toronto is 5th in the AL East with an overall record of 68-75, while the Braves are 3rd in the NL East and have an overall record of 77-65.

Chris Sale will go for the Braves, while the Blue Jays are sending Yariel Rodriguez to the mound. Atlanta is the heavy favorite, with money line odds of -272, while the Blue Jays are sitting at +223. Sunday’s over/under line is at 7.5 runs, and the forecast in Atlanta calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid-70s.

Toronto vs. Atlanta Key Information

• Teams: Blue Jays at Braves
• Where: Truist Park Atlanta
• Date: Sunday, September 8th
• Betting Odds ATL -272 | TOR +223 O/U 7.5

The Blue Jays Can Win If…

Right-hander Yariel Rodríguez gets the start for the Blue Jays today as he faces the Braves on the road. He has made 17 starts this season and has a record of 1-6 with an ERA of 4.61. Opponents have hit .231 off Rodríguez this season, and his WHIP is 1.38. The last time he pitched, Rodríguez finished with a no-decision, going three innings and not giving up a run. Before that outing, he had given up at least two homers in three straight starts. Rodríguez has a 9.0 ERA on the road compared to 3.98 at home.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been one of the best hitters in the league this season, as he is batting .326 with 28 home runs and 94 RBIs. He has also been on a tear of late, going 13/34 in his last eight games. This stretch includes one home run and seven RBIs. George Springer is 2nd on the team with 19 homers, but he is batting just .219 for the season.

As a team, the Blue Jays are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. They are also just 19th in home runs. Overall, they are batting .243, which is 11th in the league. Toronto is also one of the league’s best teams at avoiding strikeouts.

• The Blue Jays are 3-7 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Blue Jays are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Toronto has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Blue Jays have an average of 4.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Blue Jays are 5-5
• Looking back across the Blue Jays last five games as the favorite, they are 5-0
• Toronto has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Blue Jays have averaged 4.1 runs per game on offense

The Braves Can Win If…

Chris Sale gets the start for the Braves today and is coming off a dominant outing against the Rockies in which he didn’t give up a run. In that outing, he went seven innings and didn’t issue a walk. Looking back further, Sale has made 16 quality starts this year and has a record of 16-3. Sale’s ERA for the season is an impressive 2.46, and his WHIP is 1.01. Overall, he has 206 strikeouts, which ranks second in the league. Sale’s ERA at home is 3.08 compared to 2.42 on the road.

So far this season, the Braves are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 16th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 4.6 runs per game. As a team, the Braves are batting .241, which is 13th in the league, and they are 5th in the league in home runs. One area they could improve is their on-base percentage, as they are just 17th in the league in that category.

Marcell Ozuna has been the Braves’ best hitter this season, as he is batting .307 with 37 home runs and 98 RBIs. Ozuna is also on a four-game hitting streak. Over his last seven games, Michael Harris II is hitting .267 with one home run and five RBIs. Jarred Kelenic also has a four-game hitting streak, and he has gone 4/13 in his last four games.

• The Braves are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Braves are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Atlanta has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Braves have an average of 3.4 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Braves are 6-4
• Looking back across the Braves last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Atlanta has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Braves have averaged 5.2 runs per game on offense

Chris Sale’s Dominance Could Seal Series for Braves

Ace pitcher Chris Sale is set to lead the charge for the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in their series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays. With the Braves (77-65) battling for a National League wild-card spot, Sale’s stellar season could be the key to closing out the series in Atlanta’s favor.

With a 16-3 record and a 2.46 ERA, Sale has been nothing short of dominant all season long. As he takes the mound, he’s not just looking to help his team; he’s aiming to continue his record-breaking streak of allowing two earned runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts—a Braves franchise record dating back to 1912. After throwing seven scoreless innings in his last outing against the Colorado Rockies, Sale has firmly placed himself in the Cy Young conversation.

Braves in the Playoff Hunt

Atlanta secured a 3-1 victory in the series opener on Friday but faltered in a 9-5 loss to Toronto on Saturday, knocking them out of a wild-card spot. With Sale on the mound, the Braves are hoping to bounce back and reclaim their playoff position. Sale leads the National League in wins and strikeouts (206), and with a 2.46 ERA, he’s eyeing the pitching triple crown.

Despite the loss on Saturday, the Braves have been riding Sale’s consistency throughout the season. His 8-5 career record against the Blue Jays, with a 2.85 ERA in 20 appearances, adds confidence to Atlanta’s push for a series win.

Blue Jays Look to Play Spoiler

The Toronto Blue Jays (68-75) are determined to spoil the Braves’ playoff hopes after an offensive surge on Saturday. Spencer Horwitz had a standout performance, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, three RBIs, and three runs scored, leading Toronto’s charge in their 9-5 victory. On the mound, Jose Berrios allowed just one run over six innings to secure his career-best 15th win of the season.

For Sunday’s finale, the Blue Jays will start right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-6, 4.61 ERA). Rodriguez has had an up-and-down season and has struggled to pitch deep into games. Toronto manager John Schneider has hinted at possible rotation adjustments after their next series against the New York Mets, potentially calling up Jake Bloss to relieve Rodriguez, who has yet to face the Braves in his career.

Key Injuries and Roster Moves

The Braves suffered a setback when infielder Whit Merrifield fractured his foot after fouling a ball off during Friday’s game. While Merrifield is expected to miss six to eight weeks, manager Brian Snitker mentioned that he could return earlier if he’s able to manage the pain. To fill the gap, the Braves have signed Cavan Biggio on a minor league deal from the San Francisco Giants.

What to Watch For

As the Braves push for a playoff spot, all eyes will be on Chris Sale as he looks to extend his record-breaking streak and lead Atlanta to a series win. With Spencer Horwitz swinging a hot bat and Yariel Rodriguez eager to prove himself, the Blue Jays are not going to go down without a fight.

This series finale promises high-stakes action, with both teams playing for different postseason goals. Whether Sale can continue his Cy Young-caliber season or the Blue Jays can build on their Saturday momentum, Sunday’s game is shaping up to be an exciting battle.

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The Lean

For a money-line pick, we are leaning towards the Blue Jays to come out on top as the road underdog. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 10th highest-scoring game of the day. Despite this, we don’t have this one as a big strikeout game, as this game is projected to have the 2nd fewest combined strikeouts. Looking at today’s starters, Chris Sale has the best strikeout projections in the league.