The Toronto Blue Jays look to get back on track after Friday’s loss to the Chicago White Sox.
The pregame narrative: Chicago snapped its eight-game losing streak, beating Toronto 7-1 on Friday night. The Blue Jays have been an excellent home team all season, however, and two of their star hitters should be able to lift the team to a solid Saturday performance.
Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. the White Sox for June 21, featuring George Springer and Alejandro Kirk.
Blue Jays picks vs. White Sox
Best Bet: Springer to record 1+ RBI (+143)
Springer isn’t necessarily someone who stands out as a top prop option at first glance.
The Blue Jays outfielder isn’t doing an extraordinary job of notching hits across his last six games.
- .087 batting average
- .125 on-base percentage
- .087 SLG
Springer only has one RBI to his name during this stretch, but there are reasons to believe that more are on the way.
Firstly, his spot in the lineup is enticing. Springer hits fourth or fifth in most games, setting him up behind the team’s top hitters.
Additionally, Springer’s Baseball Savant page offers plenty of encouraging signs:
- 90th percentile xwOBA (.385)
- 91st percentile xSLG (.533)
- 96th percentile barrel percentage (17.0)
These are certainly strong indicators that Springer’s due for some better results.
He hasn’t seen Chicago starter Aaron Civale very much, but he has done well in limited at-bats.
Don’t be surprised if Springer helps cash in some runs for Toronto.
Key stat: Springer has two hits (a double and a home run) in five at-bats versus Civale.
Quick pick
Kirk over 1.5 hits (+225): One of the reasons why I like Springer to record a RBI is because this guy is hitting in front of him.
Kirk has been on an absolute tear. In his last 11 games, he has a:
- .340 batting average
- .638 SLG
- .992 OPS
Naturally, he’s cashing this wager at a pretty impressive clip. He has topped this prop in five of his last nine outings, recording three-plus hits in three of those contests.
The pitcher he’s facing today, Civale, isn’t anything special. He combines a 4.67 ERA with a 5.22 FIP, and has a 31 percentile strikeout rate (19.5).
Kirk only has one hit in five at-bats versus Civale, but he did take him deep during the at-bat.
Expect Kirk to be fresh and deliver on Saturday after sitting Friday.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.