The Toronto Blue Jays will kick off a crucial nine-game road trip on Tuesday night with a matchup against the Cleveland Guardians.
The three-game series at Progressive Field could prove pivotal for the American League wild-card picture.
Toronto currently trails Cleveland by 1.5 games for the final playoff spot.
The visiting team recently swept the Seattle Mariners over the weekend to improve their record to 68-70.
Meanwhile, Cleveland enters the series with a 69-68 record after avoiding a sweep against the Kansas City Royals.
Describing the statistical likelihood of Toronto covering the run line, analysts noted that “the SportsLine Projection Model believes the Blue Jays can do some damage in Tuesday’s matchup as they cover the spread betting run line of +1.5 in 70 percent of its simulations,” CBS Sports reported.
Cleveland will start right-hander Gavin Williams, who is looking to bounce back from a rough outing against the Los Angeles Angels.
Evaluating the pitching matchup, expert Larry Hartstein noted that he “likes the strikeout expert to rebound and the Guardians to be ahead through the first five innings of the contest,” according to CBS Sports.
In other baseball action, the Philadelphia Phillies will face the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Philadelphia has won five consecutive games and is currently tied with the Chicago Cubs for the top wild-card spot in the National League.
The Diamondbacks sit just a half-game behind the San Diego Padres for the final wild-card position.
The game features left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who has registered 203 strikeouts this season.
Highlighting the strikeout potential for the left-hander, wagering experts explained that “Luzardo is second in the NL with 203 strikeouts” and is expected to fan at least six opponents, per CBS Sports.
The New York Yankees will try to recover from a blowout loss as they play the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.
The Angels recently ended a seven-game slide by defeating the Yankees 10-1 in their series opener.
New York will start right-hander Gerrit Cole, who has maintained an earned run average under 2.00 over his last six starts.
Analyzing the pitching matchup and the struggles of the opposition, baseball forecasters explained that they expect “New York to manhandle Angels righty Grayson Rodriguez,” CBS Sports reported.