The New York Yankees went north of the border on Friday and pounded the Toronto Blue Jays 12-3 to begin their three-game series.
New York has won nine out of their last 10 games, including series sweeps with their last two opponents, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs. The Blue Jays are in a bit of a slump. They’re 5-5 in their last 10, splitting four games with the lowly Baltimore Orioles.
Can the Blue Jays win the second game of this series or will the Yankees make it two in a row? Find out with our free MLB betting picks and predictions for Yankees vs. Blue Jays on Saturday, June 18.
Yankees vs Blue Jays odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
Despite winning the first game in convincing fashion, the Yankees are once again the underdogs, opening at +100 and going as high as +116 at WynnBet. The Blue Jays started at -120 and have gone as high as -135. The total has stayed at 8.5, with the Over at +100 and the Under at -115.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until first pitch and be sure to check out the full MLB odds before placing your bets.
Yankees vs Blue Jays predictions
Picks made on 6/18/2022 at 6:15 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
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Yankees vs Blue Jays game info
• Location: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
• Date: Saturday, June 18, 2022
• First pitch: 3:07 p.m. ET
• TV: YES, Sportsnet
Yankees vs Blue Jays betting preview
Starting pitchers
Jameson Taillon (7-1, 2.93 ERA): Taillon has flirted with a perfect game twice this season. The first was May 27 against Tampa Bay when he didn’t allow a base-runner until the fifth inning.
He was at it again on his next start against the Los Angeles Angels, this time carrying a perfect game to the eighth inning. The 30-year-old right-hander has faced the Blue Jays three times this year, getting two victories in May and a no-decision in his first outing of the season.
Alek Manoah (8-1, 1.67 ERA): Toronto turns to its ace to try and quell the hot Yankee bats and Monoah might just be the perfect candidate. The 24-year-old righty has not allowed a run in his last two starts, both going six innings. His 1.67 ERA is third-best in the majors and his eight victories are tied for first.
Manoah has faced the Yankees twice this season. His first outing was April 11, where he allowed no runs and one hit in six innings. His second was May 3, allowing one run on three hits through six innings.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Yankees: Aroldis Chapman RP (Out), Chad Greene RP (Out), Ben Rortvedt C (Out), Jonathan Loaisga RP (Out).
Blue Jays: Bo Bichette SS (Questionable), Julian Merryweather, RP (Out), Danny Jansen C (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Yankees are 8-1 in their last eight as a road underdog. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Blue Jays
Yankees vs Blue Jays picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Moneyline analysis
There may be no hotter team in baseball right now, as the New York Yankees are seemingly steamrolling everyone they face. They’ve won nine of their last 10, including a 12-3 drubbing of the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.
That nine-run differential, however, is not the norm. While the Yankees have been winning, it isn’t always by huge margins. Of those nine victories, three were by one run, and another by just two.
That doesn’t mean you should discount the Yankees’ offense. They are definitely capable of hanging a big number on a team, as Toronto saw Friday night — they sit first in home runs and fourth in RBI.
It will be harder to score against Toronto’s ace, Alek Manoah. The righty has faced the Yankees twice this season and has gone six innings in both appearances. In April, he didn’t allow a run, and on May 3, he allowed a run on three hits.
Manoah isn’t bulletproof despite his 1.67 ERA. He’s allowed three runs in three different games. And New York doesn’t match up poorly at the plate, at 11-2 in its last 13 against a right-handed starter. The Yanks are also 7-2 in the last nine meetings in Toronto.
The Yankees’ offense should be able to score three runs, even against Manoah. New York pitcher, Jameson Taillon, should do the rest.
Prediction: Yankees moneyline (+116 at WynnBet)
Over/Under analysis
With each team sending quality pitchers to the mound, this should be a pitcher’s duel. Both Taillon and Manoah have faced their opposition already this season, and both have had success.
Taillon has faced the Blue Jays three times, most recently on May 11. He went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Eight days before that win, he faced them at Rogers Centre and allowed one run on five hits. In both games, he struck out four batters.
The other time was on April 11 and he allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six.
Manoah has only pitched to the Yankees twice, ironically, both opposite Taillon. The 24-year-old allowed one run on three hits, striking out seven on May 3. On April 11 he and shut out the Yankees for six innings on one-hit ball, again striking out seven.
The trend also favors the Under, which is 5-1 for the Yankees in their last six against American League East teams, and 14-5-2 in Yankees’ last 21 games as an underdog.
Despite the hot lineups, I think this number is high enough and both pitchers keep this game in check.
Prediction: Under 8.5 (-115 at BetRivers)
Best bet
In the two games Manoah has faced the Yankees this season, he’s given up four hits total, with the O/U for Saturday’s game at 4.5 hits.
The Yankees’ offense is a machine, but their close games often correlate with few hits. In last Thursday’s contest against Tampa Bay, the Yankees won 2-1 but only got four hits. Two nights earlier, they beat the Rays 2-0 but managed five hits.
Even against poor teams, New York can hit less than expected. When they defeated the Cubs on June 10, 2-1, they had six hits. When they beat Detroit 3-0 on June 4, just four.
With Manoah on the mound, I like his chances to limit New York to the Under of 4.5 hits. There’s the risk of that contact going long, but still, I think he can keep them at bay for several innings.
Pick: Alek Manoah Under 4.5 hits (+110)
