Angels vs Blue Jays Prediction - MLB Picks 7/29/23

Toronto Blue Jays (58-46) vs Los Angeles Angels (54-50)

Game Info: Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 3:07 pm (Rogers Centre)

Alek Manoah (2-8) (6.10) vs Reid Detmers (2-7) (4.38)

Betting Odds: Toronto Blue Jays -125 / Los Angeles Angels +100 --- Over/Under: 8.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

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The Toronto Blue Jays will host the Los Angeles Angels for game two of their three-game set this Saturday from the Rogers Centre. Toronto took game one with room to spare, 4-1.

Angels Preview & Projected Starter

Los Angeles moved to 54-50 after losing to Toronto. The Angels had their four-game win streak snapped in game one, and they’ll look to get into the win column Saturday. Phil Nevin’s club sits at third in the AL West, and right in the midst of the AL Wild Card picture. The LAA offense is scoring 4.16 runs per game, while batting .257, with a .333 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.39 ERA, with a 1.36 WHIP.

Reid Detmers (2-7, 4.38 ERA, 122 Ks) will make the road start for Los Angeles. The third-year lefty had a good start against Pittsburgh last time out despite taking the loss, striking out nine in five innings pitched. Detmers has been much better than his record over his last eight starts, as he’s allowed two runs or less six times during this span. Detmers has also become one of more reliable pitchers from a strikeout standpoint during this stretch, clearing eight Ks in six of his last eight outings as well.

Angels Player Props

• Shohei Ohtani got things going last night with a first-inning home run, and he’s first on LAA in hits (116), with team-leading splits of .301/39/81.

• Mike Trout, Brandon Drury, and Gio Urshela remain out, leaving holes in the Halo lineup, but they’ve managed to receive support elsewhere in the lineup.

• Mickey Moniak is enjoying a breakout season, and after collecting a hit in an impressive seventeen straight games, he’s batting .332, with eleven homers and 35 RBI.

• Hunter Renfroe collected three hits in the final two wins over Detroit, and he’s third on the team with sixteen home runs and 44 RBI.

• Taylor Ward has multiple hits in three of the last five games, and he’s averaging splits of .254/14/45.

Blue Jays Preview & Projected Starter

Toronto enters at 58-46 after defeating Los Angeles. The Blue Jays kept their good week against LA going with a game one victory, and they’ll look to pick up a third straight win Saturday. John Schneider’s team sits in third place of the vaunted AL East, and they currently hold a wildcard playoff spot. The Toronto offense is scoring 4.85 runs per game, while batting .262, with a .331 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 3.80 ERA, with a 1.26 WHIP.

Alex Manoah (2-8, 6.10 ERA, 112 Ks) will take the mound for Toronto. The third-year pitcher is in the midst of a messy 2023 season, but he held his own in Seattle last week, striking out six through 5.1 innings en route to a Jays win. Yes, Manoah has regressed this season, but the solid road outing was a step in the right direction. While he likely won’t recapture his 2022 All Star form this season, he’s still only in year three, and there’s time to figure things out.

Blue Jays Player Props

• Bo Bichette has collected nine hits and plated five runs over his last three games, and he leads the Jays in hits (139), with splits of .316/17/58.

• Vlad Guerrero Jr. had his five-game hit streak snapped by his father’s former squad last night, and he’ll look to respond Saturday. Vlad Jr. leads Toronto in RBI (65), with seventeen homers.

• Matt Chapman homered in the game one victory over the Halos, and he’s posting a line of .262/14/44.

• Whit Merrifield has a vendetta against LA, and after homering in consecutive wins over the Dodgers and Angels, and he’s batting .305, with 47 RBI.

• Danny Jansen has also gone yard in back-to-back games to bring his totals to 14 HRs and 46 RBI.

Corey’s Free Pick

Two AL playoff hopefuls will face off again Saturday in what should be a higher scoring contest. Reid Detmers and Alex Manoah have both endured their struggles, and been vulnerable to allowing runs all season. Manoah taking the hill puts value on the Jays, and I think he puts up another formidable fight going at home this time. The eventual matchup with Shohei Ohtani may cause trouble with home run number forty on the horizon, but if there’s any team liable to losing to Manoah, it’s the Angels. The Over should receive a look, but trust Toronto momentum against LA, and back them at home.