The Toronto Blue Jays have a golden opportunity to close the gap on the Orioles for the top spot in the American League East when they host Baltimore on Monday in the first contest of a four-game set with Baltimore at Rogers Centre.
Monday will also be the final game before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline. Both Toronto and Baltimore are currently in playoff positions and are looking to upgrade their respective rosters, so team executives will be just as busy as the players on the field Monday.
Toronto took two of three games from Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend and nearly pulled off a three-game sweep had it not been for L.A.’s extra-innings victory on Sunday.
Bet on Orioles vs. Blue Jays
Baltimore, meanwhile, is also riding high after taking two of three from the New York Yankees over the weekend. The Orioles pounded the Yankees by a score of 9-3 on Sunday night.
The Blue Jays are -150 favourites on the moneyline at bet365 and the total is set at nine runs.
Orioles vs. Blue Jays odds
| Orioles Moneyline Odds | +130 |
| Blue Jays Moneyline Odds | -150 |
| Runline odds | Blue Jays -1.5 (+135), Orioles +1.5 (-155) |
| Over/Under | 9 runs (over -110, under -110) |
| Time/Date | Monday, July 31, 7:07 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: Sportsnet |
All odds courtesy of 
About the Orioles (64-41 SU, 64-41 ATS, 55-44-6 o/u)
Baltimore sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs in the first inning of Sunday’s 9-3 win over the Yankees to take the season series (7-6) against New York for the first time since 2016.
The Orioles have also had success against the Blue Jays this season, taking five of the six previous meetings. Baltimore sits 1 1/2 games in front of the Tampa Bay Rays for top spot in the AL East and is 5 1/2 games up on Toronto, which sits third in the division.
Rumours are swirling that the upstart Orioles are aggressively shopping for a starting pitcher to bolster their rotation down the stretch as they hurl towards the playoffs. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Lorenzen is a mid-level option for the club. Rosenthal also believes the O’s are looking for bullpen help.
About the Blue Jays (59-47 SU, 49-56 ATS, 44-55-6 o/u)
The Blue Jays have already been wheeling and dealing, acquiring reliever Jordan Hicks from the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night for two minor leaguers. Hicks, who boasts a blazing fastball that regularly exceeds 100 mph, could be in line to immediately start closing games for Toronto while the team’s regular closer, Jordan Romano, recovers from a back injury.
Left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu is also set to rejoin Toronto’s starting rotation and will make his 2023 debut on Tuesday against the Orioles. Ryu is coming off Tommy John surgery and the team is planning to use a six-man rotation upon his return for the foreseeable future in an attempt to keep everyone fresh for a playoff push.
Toronto designated righty Mitch White for assignment to make room for Hicks on the roster.
Whit Merrifield over 0.5 RBIs
Probable pitchers
Baltimore: RHP Kyle Gibson (9-6, 4.68 ERA, 7.30 K/9, 1.32 WHIP)
Gibson is coming off two solid starts, allowing a combined five earned runs over 12 innings of work against the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. He’s 6-2 with a 4.46 ERA in 12 career starts against Toronto and threw seven innings of one-run ball against the Blue Jays back in May at Rogers Centre.
Toronto: RHP Chris Bassitt (10-5, 3.91 ERA, 8.38 K/9, 1.22 WHIP)
Bassitt has been excellent in July, posting a 2-0 record with a 3.33 ERA over 27 innings of work with 25 strikeouts. He’s 3-1 with a 4.55 ERA in five career starts against Baltimore, but he was bombed for eight runs on 11 hits over three innings of work last time out against the O’s in June.
Weather
It should be a pleasant evening for outdoor baseball in Toronto, with temperatures around 22C and sunny skies. Winds will be blowing out to centre field at 18 km/h.
Betting trends
- The under is 5-0 in Toronto’s last five games at Rogers Centre.
- Toronto is 6-1 on the runline in its last seven games.
- Baltimore is 10-2 on the runline in its last 12 road games.
Player prop trends
- Bassitt has failed to collect six or more strikeouts in eight of his last 10 starts. He’s -120 to record under 5.5 strikeouts in this one.
- Orioles infielder Ramon Urias is riding a five-game hitting streak into play Monday. He’s -180 to get a hit and is 1-for-2 in his career against Bassitt.
- Whit Merrifield has seven RBIs over his last four games. He’s +220 to drive in a run and has a .262 batting average in 42 career at-bats against Gibson. Merrifield also boasts an impressive .365/.385/.612 slash line over the last 30 days.
Wagers to consider
- No one on the Orioles roster has more than eight career at-bats against Bassitt, but six players have batting averages of .400 or better against him. Baltimore pounded him last time out, so taking a look at Bassitt to give up more than 2.5 earned runs (-120) may be worth a play.
- Orioles over 4.5 runs scored (+110): Baltimore exploded for nine runs and 12 hits Sunday night against the Yankees and that momentum should carry over to play on Monday. As previously mentioned, the Orioles also roughed up Bassitt the last time they faced him.
- Bo Bichette is swinging a hot bat lately, slashing .480/.519/.720 over the last seven days. He’s -115 to record over 1.5 total bases, +1075 to homer, and +170 to drive in a run.
Other MLB games on Monday
| Home Team |  | | Away Team | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Marlins | -105 | -115 | Philadelphia Phillies | 6:40 PM |
| Washington Nationals | +170 | -200 | Milwaukee Brewers | 7:05 PM |
| New York Yankees | +110 | -130 | Tampa Bay Rays | 7:05 PM |
| Atlanta Braves | -225 | +185 | Los Angeles Angels | 7:20 PM |
| Chicago Cubs | -120 | +100 | Cincinnati Reds | 8:05 PM |
| Houston Astros | -180 | +160 | Cleveland Guardians | 8:10 PM |
| Colorado Rockies | +170 | -200 | San Diego Padres | 8:40 PM |
| Seattle Mariners | -140 | +120 | Boston Red Sox | 9:40 PM |
| San Francisco Giants | -150 | +130 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 9:45 PM |
