The Oakland A’s and Toronto Blue Jays tie a bow on their four-game set at RingCentral Coliseum Thursday afternoon.
Toronto is a slight MLB betting favorite for this finale, returning ace Hyun Jin Ryu to the hill after a brief stint on the injured list with a strained glute – AKA a pain in the ass. Oakland bettors are looking to avoid just that after losing Wednesday’s game 9-4 as a -131 moneyline favorite following two wins to open the series.
Here are our free MLB picks and predictions for Blue Jays vs. Athletics on May 6.
Blue Jays vs A's odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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MLB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonTwinSpires opened the Blue Jays -142 and dipped to -132, then upped a couple of cents to -134, where the moneyline sits at 1:30 p.m. ET. The A's are taking 56 percent of tickets and 61 percent of money. The total opened at 8 (Over -112) and saw a modest price adjustment to Over -117, with the Over drawing 62 percent of tickets/69 percent of money.
Check out the full line movement for this gameBlue Jays vs A's betting preview
Starting pitchers
Hyun Jin Ryu (1-2, 2.60 ERA): We last saw Ryu leaving after allowing eight runs on four hits in five innings against Boston on April 20, with that glute strain taking him out of action. The lefty looked good in the start prior, going 6 2-3 innings while giving up one run on four hits with seven strikeouts versus New York.
Mike Fiers (0-1, 4.50 ERA): The A’s right hander has just one start under his belt in 2021, tossing six innings in a 3-2 loss to Baltimore, in which Fiers allowed three runs on three hits – two home runs – while striking out just three batters.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Blue Jays: George Springer RF (Out), Alejandro Kirk C (Out), Anthony Castro RP (Out), Julian Merryweather RP (Out).
A's: Aramis Garcia C (Out), Chad Pinder 2B (Out), J.B. Wendelken RP (Out), Burch Smith RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 16-6 in Blue Jays’ last 22 road games. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. A's.
Moneyline pick
Ryu’s return is a bright spot for Blue Jays bettors, who watch the team exchange one star for another, sending George Springer back to the IL after just four games in the lineup. Ryu’s injury wasn’t considered serious, and expectations are high for the southpaw Thursday.
He faces a big-swinging Oakland lineup that’s done a good job drawing walks, ranked eighth in the bigs in base-on balls. However, Ryu doesn’t waste many pitches, with only three walks and 26 strikeouts through 27 2-3 innings of work this season. The A’s have also struggled with left-handed pitchers, hitting .240 with 97 Ks versus southpaws.
Ryu’s health could be a concern, but if he is limited or protected in terms of innings, Toronto backs him up with one of the better bullpens in majors. The Jays’ relievers boast a collective 2.47 ERA (second-lowest) and shut down the A’s on Wednesday, giving up only one run on one hit in the final three innings, opening the door for a late-game rally.
Toronto scored seven runs in the final two innings to steal a 9-4 win in Game 3 last night and will ride that momentum into the finale with their ace on the mound.
PREDICTION: Toronto -140
Over/Under pick
Outside of that late-game eruption Wednesday, Toronto’s bats have been relatively quiet in this series. The Blue Jays are hitting just .218 in the past three games and totaled only seven runs through the first 25 innings of this series.
Overall, Toronto has struggled to find its swing away from its makeshift COVID home in Dunedin, Florida, batting a mere .214 and scoring only 3.5 runs per away game on the season. That floundering offense, along with steady work from the pitching staff, has translated into a 5-13 Over/Under record as a visitor.
This total opened at eight runs and ticked to 8.5 with early play on the Over. However, Toronto has played below the number in nine of its 13 games with sub-nine run totals this season.
PREDICTION: Under 8.5 (-110)
Blue Jays vs A's betting card
- Toronto -140
- Under 8.5 (-110)
Picks made on 5/6/2021 at 11:15 a.m. ET
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