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At 2:10 PM ET, the Blue Jays and Twins will square off in an AL matchup. This one is being played at Target Field in Minneapolis, and the Twins are the heavy favorites on the money line, with their odds sitting at -193. The money line odds for a Blue Jays win are sitting at +162, and they are 5th in the AL East.
Today’s over/under line is 8.5 runs, and SNET will be televising this one. Sunday’s starting pitching matchup features Yariel Rodriguez for the Blue Jays and Bailey Ober for the Twins.
Toronto vs. Minnesota Key Information
- Teams: Blue Jays at Twins
- Where: Target Field Minneapolis
- Date: Sunday, September 1st
- Betting Odds MIN -193 | TOR +162 O/U 8.5
The Blue Jays Can Win If…
Right-hander Yariel Rodríguez gets the start for the Blue Jays today as he faces the Twins on the road. He has made 16 starts this year and has a record of 1-6 with a 4.82 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting .229 this year off Rodríguez. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up six earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had turned in three straight outings with a no decision. Rodríguez has given up at least one homer in three straight outings.
Coming into today’s game, the Blue Jays offense is averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 19th in the league. They have been a bit better on the road, also averaging 4.3 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .242, which is 11th in the league. Toronto has been led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this season, as he is batting .324 for the season and has gone 14/34 in his last nine games. Guerrero Jr. also leads the team with 27 homers and 89 RBIs.
George Springer is 2nd on the Blue Jays with 19 home runs but is hitting just .216 for the season. However, he has gone deep three times in his last nine games. Addison Barger has also been hot for the Blue Jays, going 12/33 in his last nine games with three homers.
- The Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Blue Jays are 2-3 vs. the run line.
- Toronto has an over/under record of 4-6 in their last ten games.
- The Blue Jays have an average of 4.0 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 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Blue Jays have averaged 4.4 runs per game on offense
The Twins Can Win If…
Twins starter Bailey Ober has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 12-6 with an ERA of 4.06. He has pitched much better at home, coming in with a record of 7-2 and an ERA of 6.35. Opponents are batting .213 off the right-hander this season. Ober has turned in 15 quality starts this year and is averaging 9.32 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up nine earned runs in just two innings of work. Before that, he had gone three straight outings without taking the loss.
Over the Twins’ last six games, Willi Castro has gone 6/20 with five runs scored and three RBIs. For the season, Castro is batting .255 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs. Ryan Jeffers leads the team with 20 homers and 59 RBIs, but is batting just .236. Jeffers has also gone deep in two of his last four games. Carlos Santana is 2nd on the team with 18 homers and is batting .238.
As a team, the Twins are 6th in batting average and are 9th in scoring at 4.8 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 4.9 runs per contest. Overall, they are 10th in home runs and have the 6th best slugging percentage in the league.
- The Twins are 3-7 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Twins are 1-4 vs. the run line.
- Minnesota has an over/under record of 5-5 in their last ten games.
- The Twins have an average of 3.0 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten home games, the Twins are 5-5
- Looking back across the Twins last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
- Minnesota has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Twins have averaged 4.4 runs per game on offense
Blue Jays Riding High After Offensive Explosion
After a jaw-dropping 15-0 victory on Saturday, the Toronto Blue Jays are buzzing with confidence as they head into the final game of their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Jays (67-71) set season-highs in both runs and hits (23), a much-needed rebound following their 2-0 loss in Friday’s opener. Now, they’re eager to keep the offensive fireworks going.
“I felt like toward the end of the game, everyone was running to the bat rack to try and get in there,” said Blue Jays designated hitter Spencer Horwitz. “And when you get that energy and the offense rolling, it’s contagious, for sure.”
Twins Looking to Rebound
The Twins (73-62), on the other hand, are looking to bounce back after a disappointing showing on Saturday, where they managed only four hits. Minnesota has been in a bit of a slump, dropping nine of their last 12 games. Still, they’re just 3 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central and only one game behind the second-place Kansas City Royals.
Despite the recent struggles, Twins infielder Royce Lewis remains upbeat as the team gears up for the final stretch of the season.
“We’re right where we need to be,” Lewis said. “We’re a handful of games away, and we get to face both of these teams coming up soon that are ahead of us. I’m very much looking forward to it. I know it’s in our hands, and we can definitely make a good push here.”
Pitching Matchup
Toronto will send right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-6, 4.82 ERA) to the mound for Sunday’s finale. Rodriguez is coming off a rough outing where he allowed six runs on eight hits over five innings in a loss to the Boston Red Sox. The 27-year-old rookie from Cuba has shown promise with 66 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings but has yet to face the Twins in his career.
Minnesota will counter with right-hander Bailey Ober (12-6, 4.06 ERA), who’s also looking to bounce back after giving up nine runs on seven hits in just two innings against the Atlanta Braves. Ober has had mixed results against the Blue Jays in the past, holding a 2-2 record with a 3.05 ERA in four starts against them.
Players to Watch
One player to keep an eye on is Blue Jays outfielder Will Wagner, who was on fire Saturday, going 5-for-6 with a double, a homer, and two RBIs. Manager John Schneider had nothing but praise for Wagner’s steady presence at the plate.
“He’s just steady. Even in that couple-of-game stretch where he was not getting hits — I mean, we’re not asking him to hit .500 — but he’s just steady. He’s a pro. Nothing really fazes him,” Schneider said. “I just love the way he goes about it every single day. Simple swing, and he understands the game.”
Game Outlook
With Minnesota boasting a solid 38-30 home record and Toronto aiming to build on their 33-38 road performance, the final game of this series could be crucial for both teams as they eye postseason spots. The Twins will be fighting to avoid losing the series, while the Blue Jays look to capitalize on their newfound momentum. Sunday’s showdown could play a significant role in determining each team’s playoff fate as the season races toward its conclusion.
The Lean
Our lean for an over/under pick is to take the over, as this is projected to be the 10th highest-scoring game of today’s league slate. As for who we are leaning to take this one straight-up, our lean is on the Blue Jays to pick up the win. Toronto comes into this one with our 2nd highest-ranked offense, and Bailey Ober is 20th among today’s starters in projected strikeouts.
