Toronto Blue Jays vs. Athletics odds headline MLB Opening Day 2026 as Kevin Gausman faces Oakland’s Luis Severino at Rogers Centre on Friday afternoon. This preview breaks down live Blue Jays vs. Athletics odds from the best Canadian MLB sites, matchup analysis, Gausman’s Opening Day history, and our expert picks and predictions.
Athletics vs. Blue Jays best bet
Brent Rooker over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs: +110 (Bet99)
Rooker over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs
After evaluating the best Athletics vs. Blue Jays odds, backing Rooker at plus money on this player prop appears to have tremendous value.
Firstly, Rooker destroyed Blue Jays’ pitching last season, posting a 1.392 OPS with two homers and eight RBIs in 25 at-bats. He did most of that damage at Rogers Centre, slashing an incredible .438/.471/.750 across 16 at-bats.
Rooker has also done some serious damage in the past against Gausman, going 4-for-8 with a home run and three RBIs while boasting a 1.556 OPS in a small sample size.
If you aren’t sold on Rooker yet, he also had an exceptional spring training, recording a .340/.392/.745 slash line across 47 at-bats, suggesting he’s primed and ready for Opening Day.
Athletics vs. Blue Jays odds
| Blue Jays moneyline odds | -160 |
| Athletics moneyline odds | +135 |
| Run line odds | Blue Jays -1.5 (+125), Athletics +1.5 (-150) |
| Game total | Over 8.5 runs (-120), Under 8.5 (+100) |
| Date/time | March 26, 4:07 p.m. ET |
Betting the Athletics (last year: 76-86 SU, 88-74 ATS, 76-75-11 o/u)
There’s reason for optimism heading into the 2026 campaign for the Athletics after they quietly posted 76 wins last year with their young and budding roster. FanGraphs is projecting them to win close to 79 games this season, which would be a major step towards competing for a playoff spot.
The Athletics averaged a very respectable 4.52 runs per game (the league average was 4.45 per game) while ranking 10th in team OPS+ last season. Rooker, Nick Kurtz, and Tyler Soderstrom did some considerable damage for the Athletics, but bettors should be reminded this group played half of their home games at a hitter-friendly Triple-A ballpark, and they’ll continue to play at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento this season.
The team performed less favourably from a pitching perspective last year, posting a combined 4.66 FIP, which ranked as the fourth worst in the majors. Again, playing half of their games at Sutter Health Park didn’t help their cause.
Betting the Blue Jays (last year: 94-68 SU, 91-71 ATS, 87-69-6 o/u)
The Blue Jays will unveil the American League championship banner for the home fans on Friday afternoon after an improbable run to the World Series last year. They came up just two outs shy of pulling off a major upset over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7, and now they’ll begin the difficult task of setting themselves up for another deep playoff run in 2026.
Toronto’s front office did everything possible in an attempt to keep the team a true World Series contender this winter, signing right-hander Dylan Cease and Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto to multi-year deals, among others.
Oddsmakers have set Toronto’s season win total at 88.5 ahead of the new season, firmly planting it in the playoff mix in the AL. Most online sportsbooks have the Blue Jays listed with the fourth-shortest World Series odds at +1400 behind the Dodgers (+225), New York Yankees (+1000), and Seattle Mariners (+1200).
Blue Jays to win the World Series
Probable starting pitchers
Athletics: RHP Luis Severino (last season’s stats: 8-11, 4.54 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 6.86 K/9)
Severino already pitched in two meaningful games at the World Baseball Classic in March for the Dominican Republic, posting a 1-0 record with a 2.45 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings pitched. He was especially impressive in his semifinal start against a stacked USA squad, exiting in the fourth inning after allowing just one run on five hits.
Bettors should know that Severino had some of the most extreme home/road splits in the majors last season, posting an ugly 2-9 record with a bloated 6.01 ERA in 15 starts at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento compared to a 6-2 record with a sparkling 3.02 ERA in 14 road starts.
Severino has historically been proficient against Toronto’s current roster, holding the group to a combined .205/.290/.337 slash line across 83 at-bats.
Toronto: RHP Kevin Gausman (last season’s stats: 10-11, 3.59 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 8.81 K/9)
Gausman will be making his third career Opening Day start—and his first for Toronto—on Friday afternoon at Rogers Centre.
He’s been incredibly durable for Toronto over four seasons, making at least 31 starts in each of those campaigns while pitching at a borderline elite level. He ranked in the 85th percentile in chase rate (31.7%) last season thanks to his devastating splitter, and his walk rate ranked in the 76th percentile (6.5%).
It should be noted that Gausman struggled against the upstart Athletics last year, surrendering six earned runs on 13 hits over 9 2/3 innings (5.59 ERA).
Notable injuries
P Gunnar Hogland (knee) will open the season on the injured list for the Athletics.
P Trey Yesavage (shoulder), P Shane Bieber (forearm), P Yimi Garcia (elbow), and P Jose Berrios (elbow) will open the season on the injured list for Toronto.
Weather
It’s still bloody cold up in Canada at the end of March, so the retractable roof at Rogers Centre will be closed for this matchup.
Athletics vs. Blue Jays betting trends
- Toronto is 8-2 SU in its past 10 home openers.
- The Athletics covered the run line in 31 of their last 48 away games to close out last season.
- The Blue Jays have cleared their team total over in 76 of their last 125 games.
Athletics vs. Blue Jays player prop trends
- Ernie Clement is riding a 13-game hitting streak dating back to last year’s playoffs. He’s -200 at BetVictor to extend that streak.
- Severino has recorded over 14.5 outs in nine straight starts dating back to last season. He’s -188 at BetVictor to clear that line.
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has exceeded over 1.5 total bases in five straight games dating back to last year’s playoffs. He’s -110 at Bet99 to make it six straight games.