Blue Jays-Orioles prediction: Picks, odds on Thursday, June 15

After splitting the first two games of their three-game set, the Toronto Blue Jays (38-31) and Baltimore Orioles (42-25) will each go for the series victory in the rubber match on Thursday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Lefty Yusei Kikuchi (6-2, 4.34 ERA) gets the ball for Toronto, while Baltimore counters with Tyler Wells (5-2, 3.24) amid a breakout 2023 season.

The Orioles are -125 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the Blue Jays the +105 underdogs. The over/under is set at nine.

Blue Jays

Out: 1B Brandon Belt (hamstring), RP Zach Pop (hamstring), SP Hyun Jin Ryu (elbow), RP Chad Green (elbow)

Orioles

Out: RP Austin Voth (elbow), 1B Ryan Mountcastle (illness), RP Mychal Givens (shoulder), OF Cedric Mullins (groin), RP Dillon Tate (forearm), SP John Means (elbow)

Yusei Kikuchi vs. Tyler Wells

Kikuchi will make his 14th start of the season and has allowed two runs over five innings in each of his last three outings. In his last appearance, the southpaw allowed five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in a 10-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Wells will also make his 14th appearance of the season, and the righty has allowed a combined five runs over his last three outings. In his last start, Wells allowed two runs over 6.2 innings and allowed five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in a victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Both offenses rank inside the top 10 in OPS, but both of these pitchers have been throwing the ball well over their last three starts. The two teams combined for just four runs in last night's contest as Toronto's Jose Berrios took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. This feels like a good spot for the starters on Thursday afternoon.

Pick: Under 9

Oddsmakers agree this is an incredibly even matchup when it comes to the starting pitchers and the lineups in this spot. It feels like it could go either way, so let's just side with the team getting the better payout. This is a decent buy-low spot on Kikuchi, who has seen his struggles over his career, coming off a season where he finished with an ERA over five.

Pick: Blue Jays

  
Read Full Article