MLB Best Bets Today: Blue Jays, Diamondbacks and Athletics Picks for Thursday

The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t found last season’s World Series form yet but they will feel pretty good if they can beat the host New York Yankees on Thursday to gain a four-game series split.

Toronto lost each of the first two games by one run before rebounding Wednesday for a 2-1 victory. The Blue Jays are 11 1/2 games behind the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays and 7 1/2 games behind the second-place Yankees entering their 50th game of the season.

Eduardo Rodriguez wouldn’t have been listed among the top pitchers through one-third of this season but he’s faring well for the Arizona Diamondbacks entering Thursday’s start against the Colorado Rockies. Also, the Athletics will attempt to beat the sagging Angels for the third straight night after a heartbreaking loss in the series opener.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS AT NEW YORK YANKEES

New York is nine innings (at least) away from escaping any Vladimir Guerrero Jr. long balls. The Toronto star’s bat doesn’t seem to have any torque in it this season and he has gone deep just three times. He’s hit 25 homers – including three in last season’s playoffs – against the Yankees in his stellar career.

New York star Aaron Judge is creating a lot of wind with his errant swings – 0-for-7 with seven strikeouts the last two games – and is just 1-for-11 in the series. Judge is in his own power rut as he has gone nine games without a homer or RBI.

Bettors should be wary about Yankees starter Carlos Rodon, who is making his third start since offseason elbow surgery. The left-hander walked eight batters in eight innings over his first two starts and could be in for another rough outing Thursday.

Blue Jays to win money line, +144 (DraftKings)

COLORADO ROCKIES AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The Diamondbacks have matched their season best of four straight victories and have won five of their last six while playing the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants. Guess who their next seven games are against? The Rockies and Giants. Somebody owes the schedule-maker a steak dinner.

Rodriguez was on the mound for the lone loss in the last six games when he gave up three runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings in Denver. But that sparkling 2.49 season ERA combined with the fact he has allowed one or fewer earned runs in six of his nine starts makes him a good bet to avenge that loss.

Colorado outfielder Mickey Moniak was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft and the Angels gave up on him prior to the start of last season. The Rockies added him and he hit a career-best 24 last season so he’s either got things figured out at or the Mile High altitude is helping as he leads the Rockies with 12 homers and 28 RBIs.

Diamondbacks to win -1.5 runs, -102 (DraftKings)

ATHLETICS AT LOS ANGELES ANGELS

The Angels avoided a seventh straight loss and being no-hit on Monday when Adam Frazier broke up J.T. Ginn’s no-hitter while leading off the ninth and Zach Neto followed with a dramatic walk-off, two-run homer. So much for any emotional charge as Los Angeles gave up 14 runs the following night and blew a ninth-inning lead Wednesday before losing 6-5 in 10 innings.

Angels ace Jose Soriano is on the mound and he allowed six runs while giving up just one hit in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last Saturday. The problem was that the right-hander walked everybody but the grounds crew and the ushers while putting together a second shaky effort in three starts.

There doesn’t seem to be a way to keep Nick Kurtz off base as his streak stands at 43, tying for third-best single-season mark in franchise history and just five games off the record held by Mark McGwire (1996). But the biggest threat for the A’s on Thursday is standout catcher Shea Langeliers, who is 6-for-11 with two homers and seven RBIs against Soriano.

Shea Langeliers to hit 1-plus homers, +344 (DraftKings)