The American League East was expected to be one of the top divisions in baseball coming into the 2023 season. Prediction has met reality, as the AL East boasts five teams with records above .500. The Tampa Bay Rays are pacing the division– and all of baseball– with a 23-6 record. They’re trailed by the Baltimore Orioles (19-9), Toronto Blue Jays (18-10) and the New York Yankees (15-14) and Boston Red Sox (15-14). The bunched up standings make this week’s Toronto Blue Jays vs. Boston Red Sox all the more important in the MLB season’s early running. With Game 1 of the series in the books, let’s take a look at the Blue Jays-Red Sox MLB odds on the moneyline, run line and total for Game 2.
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Blue Jays vs. Red Sox MLB Odds: Toronto, Boston Fight For Position in Best Division
Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays -110/Boston red Sox -110
Run Line: Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (+140)/ Boston Red Sox +1.5 (-165)
Total: 9.5 Runs, Over (-110)/Under (-110)
Probable Starting Pitchers: Yusei Kikuchi (Toronto); Tanner Houck (Boston)
The Blue Jays did not expect much out of SP Yusei Kikuchi heading into 2023. Kikuchi is a solid veteran, but has never been a world beater. However, his numbers over his first five starts of the campaign have shown improvement, and it remains to be seen if he can keep them up. Kikuchi’s strikeout rate is just above one K/9IP. That far out paces his rates earlier in his career and would mark a big change for the veteran hurler if it proves sustainable. So far this year he’s riding the improved rate to a 3:00 ERA, although the Red Sox present a tough task.
Tanner Houck looked like a very promising when he debuted for the Red Sox in 2023. Injuries prevented him from putting a full season together, and that also forced him into a bullpen role a year ago. Houck has returned to a full time spot in the team’s rotation and has been serviceable to start the year. There was concern that Houck couldn’t go deep into games, but he has thrown 90, 96 and 86 pitches in his last three starts.
The combination of Houck and Kikuchi is still worrisome, and the early lines are making that clear with a 9.5 run total. They look to be evenly matched on paper, and the betting markets are showing that as well, although home field advantage, bullpen rest and overall lineup expectations are also factoring into the early MLB odds for this matchup.
Bettors should continue to look at the lines as they move throughout the night and tomorrow leading up to first pitch. OddsShopper’s tools will update any time the market moves and rank the softest Blue Jays-Red Sox lines that present the best ROI. Don’t forget to check out a 7-Daye free trial to 7-Day trial to OddsShopper Premium to find these MLB bets and the top plays in every major sports betting market.
