The Reds and Blue Jays are set to face off in an interleague matchup at 7:07 PM ET at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Reds are 61-65, while the Blue Jays are 59-67, and they are 4th in the NL Central and 5th in the AL East, respectively.
Wednesday's money line odds have the Reds at -112 compared to the Blue Jays at -106, and the over/under line is at 8.5 runs. Starting for the Reds is Nick Martinez, while Yariel Rodriguez goes for the Blue Jays. BSOH is carrying this one on TV.
Cincinnati vs. Toronto Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Reds at Blue Jays
- Where: Rogers Centre Toronto
- Date: Wednesday, August 21st
- Betting Odds CIN -112 | TOR -106 O/U 8.5
Reds vs Blue Jays Last Game Recap
Toronto cruised to a 10-3 win over the Reds in the most recent game of this series. The Blue Jays had a huge 2nd inning, scoring three runs, and added three more in the 5th. As for the Reds, they scored their only three runs in the 6th. Heading into the game, the Blue Jays were favored at -126 on the money line.
The Blue Jays got to Reds starter Carson Spiers, who gave up nine earned runs in just 4 1/3 innings of work and took the loss. As for the Blue Jays, they got a good outing from Jose Berrios, who gave up just two earned runs across seven innings of work and got the win.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 2/4 with a home run and three RBIs, while George Springer also had a two-hit game and scored twice for Toronto. Joey Loperfido also had a two-hit game and drove in two runs while scoring twice.
Reds Preview
When favored, the Reds are 31-29 straight up, but as underdogs, they have a 30-36 record. Against the run line, they are 38-23 on the road and 29-36 at home. Cincinnati's overall series record is 15-22-3, and their average run margin is 0.2 runs per game.
Cincinnati is 12.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central and trail the Cardinals by half a game for 3rd place. Their overall record is 61-65, and they are 30-31 on the road this season. The over has hit in 15 of 26 games when the total has been set at 8.5 runs.
Cincinnati is sending right-hander Nick Martinez to the mound today vs. the Blue Jays. He has made 34 appearances this season and has a record of 6-6 with a 3.25 ERA. Martinez's WHIP for the season is currently 1.05. Out of his 34 appearances, he has made two quality starts and is averaging 7.33 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Martinez took the loss, giving up three earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had not allowed a homer in three straight outings.
Elly De La Cruz has been a bright spot in the Reds lineup this season, as he is batting .258 and is 1st on the team with 21 homers. Spencer Steer is also among the league leaders in RBIs, as his 77 RBIs are the best mark on the team and 14th in the MLB. However, he is hitting just .234 for the season.
As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.4 runs per game and are 9th in the league in home runs. Their team batting average of .230 is just 19th in the league, and their on-base percentage of .303 is also towards the bottom of the league. The Reds are coming off a game in which they scored 6 runs on 12 hits. Over his last eight games, TJ Friedl is batting .321 with three homers.
Blue Jays Preview
Currently, the Blue Jays are 14.5 games behind the Orioles in the AL East, with a 59-67 record. They are in 5th place in the division and have a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. As the favorite, Toronto has a 37-27 record, while they are 22-40 as the underdog. Against the run line, they are 41-23 on the road and 22-40 at home.
This season, the Blue Jays games have averaged 8.9 runs, and their over/under record is 68-55. The over/under line for today's game is set at 8.5 runs, and their O/U record in games with that line is 21-19.
Right-hander Yariel Rodríguez gets the start for the Blue Jays today and will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Cubs. In that start, which came on August 16th, he went five innings, giving up four earned runs, and two homers. He finished with a no-decision in the outing. Before that, he had turned in two straight quality starts. Rodríguez's ERA for the season is 3.93, and he has a record of 1-5. Opponents are batting .211 off Rodríguez this year. Out of his 13 starts, he has two quality starts and is averaging 9.33 strikeouts per nine innings.
So far this season, the Blue Jays are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 20th in the league. Their team batting average of .239 is 14th in the MLB, and they are also one of the better teams in the league at avoiding strikeouts. As a team, the Blue Jays are 22nd in home runs and have a collective OPS of .700.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been a bright spot in the Blue Jays lineup this season, as he is batting .318 with 26 homers and 81 RBIs. He comes into the game on a three-game homer streak and has three homers in his last eight games. George Springer has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 10/33 in his last eight games.
Reds vs. Blue Jays Prediction: Blue Jays ML -106
Our predicted score for this Reds vs. Blue Jays matchup is 6-5 in favor of the Blue Jays, which is why we recommend taking them on the money line at -106. With the over/under sitting at 8.5 runs, there is not a lot of wiggle room, and we recommend sticking with a Blue Jays win.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Yariel Rodríguez is projected to finish with five strikeouts compared to Nick Martinez, who is projected to finish with five as well. However, we have Martinez finishing with a better ERA, but we still have the Blue Jays coming out on top.
