The Boston Red Sox’s lead in the American League East has dwindled to just 1.5 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays and wouldn’t you know it, the division rivals begin a three-game set at TD Park in Dunedin on Tuesday.
Game 1 of this series will feature a southpaw showdown as the BoSox hand the ball to Eduardo Rodriguez, while the Jays counter with Hyun-jin Ryu and will be MLB betting favorites with their ace on the bump.
Check out our MLB free picks and predictions for Red Sox vs. Blue Jays on Tuesday, May 18, with first pitch scheduled for 7:37 p.m. ET.
Red Sox vs Blue Jays game info
• Location: TD Ballpark, Dunedin, FL
• Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2021
• Time: 7:37 p.m. ET
• TV: Sportsnet One, NESN
Red Sox vs Blue Jays odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
MLB Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonAs of 5:15 p.m. ET, Toronto is at its low point as a -130 favorite, after opening -145 Monday afternoon at PointsBet USA. "More moneyline tickets on the Red Sox, at 55 percent of the bet count, but the Blue Jays are attracting 78 percent of the moneyline handle," PointsBet sports analyst Mike Korn said. The total opened at 9.5 (Under -120), went to 9 (Over -120) within a few hours and is now 9 flat (-110), with the ticket count dead even and 60 percent of money on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gameRed Sox vs Blue Jays betting preview
Starting pitchers
Eduardo Rodriguez (5-1, 4.15 ERA): Much like the rest of the Boston rotation, it has been an inconsistent start to the season for Rodriguez with ups and downs. Coming into this game the lefty has a 5.06 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP over his last three starts, surrendering seven or more hits in each of those games.
Hyun-jin Ryu (3-2, 2.95 ERA): Ryu has been solid for most of the season for the Jays, allowing two earned runs or fewer in five of his seven starts this season. He is also coming off arguably his best start of the season, giving up just one run on five hits over seven innings of work against the Braves.
Weather
It should be a beautiful night for baseball at the Jays home-away-from-home in Dunedin, Florida. The forecast is calling for mostly clear skies with temperatures in the low-80s. There will also be a 12-15 mph wind gusting in from left field. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Red Sox: Zac Grotz RP (Questionable), Matt Carasiti RP (Questionable), Enrique Hernandez UTL (Out), Ryan Brasier RP (Out).
Blue Jays: Tommy Milone RP (Questionable), Rafael Dolis RP (Out), George Springer CF (Out), Ryan Borucki RP (Out), Julian Merryweather RP (Out), Alejandro Kirk C (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 12-5 in the last 17 meetings between the Red Sox and Blue Jays. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Blue Jays.
Moneyline pick
The Red Sox have climbed to the top of the American League East standings thanks to their hot bats early on and some surprising pitching performances. But the BoSox have been a bit more human of late — Boston is just 3-4 in its last seven games and scoring only 4.29 runs per game.
The Red Sox have also benefited from a bit of a soft schedule through the first month and a half of the season. Boston has played 24 games against five teams (Baltimore, Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, and the L.A. Angels) with a combined winning percentage of .396.
The Blue Jays should present a bit of a tougher front. Toronto has won five of its last six and is 15-7 in its last 22 games overall and are plating 5.63 runs per contest over that stretch. The Jays also rank second in the MLB in dingers and Rodriguez has surrendered six in six starts.
On the other side, Ryu is in a groove and hasn’t allowed many baserunners all season long, evidenced by his 1.06 WHIP. With the Blue Jays able to match the Red Sox's potency at the plate right now, combined with having the edge in starters, they are the side to back in this one.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays (-140)
Over/Under pick
At first glance, a total of 9.5 for this game doesn’t seem out of the ordinary considering these two teams can slug it as well as anyone in the Big Leagues. That said, this number may be a touch too high.
First of all, Rodriguez has had some success against the Blue Jays in his career and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts against them, which includes giving up just two runs on three hits in six innings pitched back on April 20.
We also mentioned that Ryu is pitching well, but this is also a matchup of two solid bullpens. The Jays’ pen ranks fourth in ERA and ninth in WHIP while the BoSox ranks 13th in both categories.
When you consider these two division rivals like to play close games, plus the Under is 6-1-1 in the Red Sox last eight games overall and 4-2 in the Jays’ last six, we like that trend to continue with a number this high.
PREDICTION: Under 9.5 (-110)
Red Sox vs Blue Jays betting card
- Blue Jays ML (-140)
- Under 9.5 (-110)
Picks made on 5/18/2021 at 12:09 a.m. ET
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s MLB Red Sox vs. Blue Jays picks, you could win $22.73 on a $10 bet?
Use our MLB parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on MLB odds?
You can bet on MLB odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including MLB moneylines, runlines, Over/Under totals, and a ton of MLB prop odds. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on MLB odds in your area.
