MLB Predictions: Jays vs A’s Lines
The Oakland Athletics host the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night in the opening game of a four-game set at O.co Coliseum.
Toronto Blue Jays (47-39) at Oakland Athletics (51-33)
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2014
Time: 9:05 p.m. ET
Venue: O.co Coliseum
City: Oakland California
O/U Odds: 7.5
Money Line: Oakland Athletics -156, Toronto +146
Pitching Matchup: RH R.A. Dickey (6-7, 4.24 ERA) at RH Sonny Gray (7-3, 3.20 ERA)
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The Athletics had a day off on Wednesday, entering that off day having dropped back-to-back games following a four-game winning streak, while the Blue Jays are coming off a heroic walk-off win in a quick two-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers.
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The Blue Jays needed a hero in their Wednesday getaway game against the Milwaukee Brewers and Edwin Encarnacion stepped up, launching a walk-off three-run home run to give the Jays a 7-4 win, completing their sweep of the Brewers in that quick two-game set.
With that home run, Encarnacion moved back into a three-way tie for the home run lead with 26 bombs, and he surpassed a trio of three boppers to take the solo lead in the RBI category with 69.
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The man looking to cool that bat will be Sonny Gray. Gray started the year hot, but he’s taken a big step back of late. In his last six starts, Gray has compiled a 5.50 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP. His last start was the worst of the bunch.
In that outing, Gray surrendered five runs on seven hits over five innings of work, striking out four while walking three in a 7-6 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Gray hasn’t faced the Blue Jays this season, but he did draw a start against them last season. In that outing, Gray gave up four runs, two of them earned, on four hits over six innings of work, striking out five and walking three.
The Blue Jays counter with R.A. Dickey. He’s had a rough go of it as of late. In his last three starts, the former Cy Young winner has drawn the loss each time. In his last start he surrendered five runs on five hits, four of them home runs, in six innings of work in a 5-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
The Athletics have been a dynamic team this season, maybe the best in baseball. While they’ve suffered some setbacks of late, that can largely be blamed on a road-heavy schedule. Now back home, expect to see the Athletics go back to turning it on and racking up wins.
Additionally, this game will see both sides send their ace out to the mound, though neither player is in especially great form at the moment, yet the total does not reflect that, making the over worth a look.
The Blue Jays are 1-7 in Dickey’s last eight road starts, while the Athletics are 18-6 in their last 24 home games.
The over is 4-1 in the Blue Jays’ last five road games, and it is 5-2-1 in the Athletics’ last eight games overall.
The play: Oakland -156, Over 7.5
