The Toronto Blue Jays (65-70, 5th AL East) are set to kick off a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins (72-61, 3rd AL Central) this Friday. The Blue Jays recently faced a tough loss against the Boston Red Sox, being shut out 3-0 on Wednesday. This defeat marked the second loss in their four-game series with Boston, which concludes on Thursday. Currently, they sit at the bottom of the American League East, trailing the New York Yankees by 13 ½ games and eight games behind the third and final AL Wild Card spot. On the other hand, the Twins also encountered a setback, losing 5-1 to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, completing a three-game sweep at the hands of Atlanta. Minnesota is currently on a four-game losing streak and is 3 ½ games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. They hold the third and final AL Wild Card slot. Toronto will be without two pitchers and shortstop Bo Bichette, while Minnesota is missing seven pitchers along with key players Alex Kirilloff, Brooks Lee, Byron Buxton, and Carlos Correa.
Toronto’s Struggles at the Plate and on the Mound
The Toronto Blue Jays are currently ranked 14th in on-base percentage (.312), 19th in batting average (.239), and 20th in both runs scored (567) and slugging percentage (.392). Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads the team in several statistical categories, including batting average (.322), home runs (27), RBIs (87), hits (165), and on-base percentage (.398). George Springer contributes significantly with 19 home runs and 55 RBIs, ranking second on the team. Throughout 135 games, Toronto has recorded 236 doubles, 20 triples, and 136 home runs, accumulating a total of 392 extra-base hits.
Toronto stands 6th in Quality Starts (56), but ranks lower in other pitching metrics, being 19th in WHIP (1.29) and 25th in ERA (4.42). Jose Berrios leads the team in wins with 13 and has the best ERA among starters at 3.72. Chris Bassitt leads in strikeouts with 149. The Blue Jays will send Kevin Gausman to the mound on Friday; Gausman has a record of 12-9 this season with an ERA of 4.10, 141 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.22.
This article is based on information available before the Thursday matchup with Boston.
Minnesota’s Offensive Strength and Pitching Resilience
The Minnesota Twins rank highly in offensive statistics, holding the 6th position in slugging percentage (.428), 7th in batting average (.253), and 8th in both runs scored (646) and on-base percentage (.322). Ryan Jeffers leads Minnesota with 20 home runs, while Carlos Santana follows closely with 18. In terms of RBIs, Jeffers also tops the list with 59, with Santana adding 55. The Twins have recorded 264 doubles, 21 triples, and 162 home runs, resulting in 447 extra-base hits over 133 games. Despite missing key hitters such as Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, Minnesota has managed to stay competitive.
On the pitching side, Minnesota ranks 2nd in WHIP (1.18), 6th in batting average allowed (.234), and 9th in Quality Starts (55). However, they place 17th in ERA (4.12). Pablo Lopez, who will start on Friday, is leading the Twins with 12 wins and has recorded 161 strikeouts this season. Joe Ryan has the best ERA among starters at 3.60. Lopez’s current record stands at 12-8, with an ERA of 4.26 and a WHIP of 1.14.
Recommended Bets for Toronto Blue Jays vs. Minnesota Twins
As Toronto heads into this series, they are looking to bounce back from two consecutive losses leading up to Thursday’s game against Boston. Kevin Gausman has displayed strong performance in three of his last four starts, allowing just six runs and 16 hits over 27 innings, with the team securing victories in three of those contests. However, Gausman struggled against Minnesota earlier this season, giving up six runs in just three innings during a May 11 matchup, although the Blue Jays managed to rally for a 10-8 victory. Minnesota’s Pablo Lopez, conversely, has been on a roll, allowing only two runs and 16 hits in his last 19 innings across three starts. With Toronto’s recent struggles and Minnesota’s home-field advantage, the Twins appear to have the upper hand with Lopez on the mound. The Twins have excelled offensively, ranking 6th in slugging percentage and 7th in runs scored, while going up against a Toronto pitching staff that is struggling with a 25th place ranking in ERA.
