The American League East is sure to be one of the most competitive divisions in all of Major League Baseball this season. This division is surely going to come down to how teams perform head to head inside the division.
Two teams that hope to be winning a pennant at the conclusion of the season will meet in game three of a four-game set between the Toronto Blue Jays (3-2) and the New York Yankees (3-2).
The first pitch between these two AL East foes is scheduled for 7:05 pm Eastern Time at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Right-hander Jose Berrios (0-0, 108.00 ERA) takes the hill for the Blue Jays as veteran righty Gerrit Cole (0-0, 6.75 ERA) gets the bump for the Yanks.
Jays Look to Control Pitching Struggles
The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves with a 3-2 record early this 2022 MLB season. They took two of three against the Texas Rangers and now find themselves 1-1 against their AL East rival, the New York Yankees. In their last meeting, the Jays were shut out by the Yanks by a score of 4-0.
This Toronto team is built to win a pennant, and they would love to get themselves back in the win column to climb to the top of the division standings. A major part of that success needs to come from their pitching staff.
Currently, they are allowing an average of 5.4 runs against per game this season. This ranks 26th in the majors as well as they are allowing opponents to hit for an average per-game 238 batting average.
Starting pitcher Jose Berrios would love to improve on the forgettable start that he had on April 8th. The 27-year-old pitched for ⅓ an inning, gave up three hits, and allowed four earned runs while walking two batters. If Berrios wants to be a benefit to the Blue Jays this season, he must be able to produce a better outing than that on the 8th.
Yankees Pitch Their Way to Wins
New York currently has a 3-2 record, which is tied for 2nd in the AL East. This is in large part due to their success on the mound this season. They are averaging 2.8 runs per game to opponents this season.
That is a top-five spot in the MLB for that statistic. The Yanks are coming off of a 4-0 dominant win against the Blue Jays and would love to repeat that success on Wednesday evening.
The Yankees have built themselves a dominant lineup to win the division. If they can continue to pitch the way they have been, then they will dominate the AL East this season.
Veteran Gerrit Cole gets the ball to pitch in game three of this four-game set against the Jays. In his last outing, Cole pitched four innings where he allowed three earned runs against the Red Sox. Cole will aim to continue to produce another quality start for New York.
Betting Analysis
- Toronto Blue Jays +1.5 Run Line (-150), +135 Moneyline
- New York Yankees -1.5 Run Line (+130), -155 Moneyline
- Run Total: 8.5, Over -110, Under -110
The Yankees have the edge in the starting pitching department in this matchup against the Blue Jays. Cole is coming off of a decent start, while Berrios wasn’t able to complete one inning in his last outing.
Look for Aaron Judge, who has a career .500 average against Berrios, to make a difference in this AL East battle. The Yankees at home will look to continue to instill their dominance against their division opponents Wednesday in the Bronx.
Betting Pick: Yankees -1.5 runs (+130)
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