Blue Jays vs. Yankees MLB Picks and Predictions

Remember when the New York Yankees couldn’t lose? Trade deadline pickups Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo had the lineup finally living up to potential as the Yankees won 13 straight through late August and were challenging for the American League East crown.

Since then, however, the Yankees have benched Gallo and lost nine of 11, including a series to the epically bad Orioles last weekend. New York has fallen out of second place in the AL East and is clinging to the final Wild Card spot.

The cold stretch includes three straight losses by a combined 19-4 score to the red hot Toronto Blue Jays, who have won seven in a row and are now a game and a half behind the Yankees. Let’s take a look at the MLB odds for tonight’s matchup.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees

Thursday, 9 September 2021 – 7:05 PM ET at Yankee Stadium

Hottest Team in Baseball

The Blue Jays have won 10 of their last 11 to surge into playoff contention. The Jays have definitely found another gear at the plate. Toronto has scored five or more runs in seven straight games, plating a total of 53 (7.6 a night) over that stretch.

Despite that hitting show, the Blue Jays credit their pitching for their recent success. The Jays threw back-to-back shutouts against the Athletics and Yankees and allowed a total of one run over three games. Toronto has allowed three runs or fewer 11 times in the last 11 games.

“The guys are swinging the bat really good. The bullpen's throwing the crap out of it. Starting pitching's been amazing,” said Alek Manoah, who earned the win in Wednesday’s game.

“Pitching's keeping us in the games,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “Our five starters are doing awesome which means we have a chance to win every night.”

The Jays will look for the series sweep on Thursday night with trade deadline pickup Jose Berrios on the mound. He is 10-7, 3.55 on the year after earning back-to-back wins in his last two starts. He struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings at Detroit, then fanned seven in 6.2 against the A’s.

Our LONGEST win streak since 2016

Goodnight, #BlueJays fans pic.twitter.com/ptcHUmdVt5

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 9, 2021

Freefall

The Yankees have suffered a fall almost as rapid as their hot streak that preceded it. New York has now lost five straight and fallen out of the top wild-card spot for the first time since August 16. The offense, which seemed to have found all the answers during the winning streak, has departed again.

The Yankees have scored five or fewer in eight of the last 10 games and have managed four runs in three games against Toronto.

Brett Gardner’s fifth-inning home run on Wednesday night was the first extra-base hit for New York since Sunday. Aaron Judge’s seventh-inning single snapped an 0-for-22 streak for the Yankees’ most fearsome hitter.

Joey Gallo, who supposedly spurred the Yankees’ offensive revival after arriving at the deadline, has been mired in a slump that had him out of the lineup on Tuesday. He’s hitting .130 with an OPS just over .600 since arriving and has struck out in 40 percent of his plate appearances.

The Brett-eran. pic.twitter.com/gZtCapfvsH

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 9, 2021

“We have to figure something out in short order or our season will be over in short order,” Gardner said.

“Yeah, it's frustrating and disappointing. You have only two choices: You can show up tomorrow to work and fight through it or lay down and give up. Obviously, we are not going to do that.”

The Yankees will turn to Nestor Cortes to try to salvage a game in the series. He entered the rotation in July and is 2-2, 2.67 on the year. He's given up seven home runs over his last six starts, however, which is troubling considering Toronto’s power-packed lineup.

The pick

Surprisingly, the Blue Jays are underdogs in Thursday’s game despite the trajectories of both teams and an advantage in the pitching matchup.

The Yankees’ fortunes will likely swing back in the opposite direction but, for your MLB pick, take a gift underdog and assume it won’t happen for one more day.

MLB Pick: Blue Jays ML (+104) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)

Blue Jays ML(+104)

Visit Site

*The pick reflects the line at the moment the writer made the play, the odds at the beginning of this article show the live line movement. Since the lines might vary, don’t forget to refer back to our live odds.

The post Blue Jays vs. Yankees MLB Picks and Predictions appeared first on Picks.