Kevin Gausman can lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a series win tonight.
The pregame narrative: Gausman has been a workhorse on the road this season and I expect him to carve up a mediocre Los Angeles Angels lineup. Take the over on his outs prop and bet on Toronto to win.
Check out the best Blue Jays picks vs. the Angels on Aug. 13.
Blue Jays picks vs. Angels
Go to full Blue Jays/Angels MLB betting markets.
Best Bet: Gausman over 18.5 outs (+105)
This bet asks Gausman to record 6.1 IP or more, something he’s done in four of his last five starts.
That includes three straight on the road where the righty has a stellar 2.74 ERA this season. Compare that to his 5.91 ERA at Rogers Centre and you’ll see one of the more stark home/away splits for a starting pitcher in MLB.
Gausman was great in Toronto last season and it’s hard to say why things flipped in 2024.
But I do know he’s been fantastic on the road and I do know that Los Angeles doesn’t have a scary lineup.
The Angels rank 25th in runs per game and particularly struggle to hit right-handed pitching.
They are 24th in batting average (.230), 25th in wRC+ (89), and 27th in slugging percentage (.370) vs. RHP this season. L.A. is also dead last in SLG against righties since the all-star break.
Gausman’s biggest problem this season has been giving up hard contact and the Angels swing one of the softest bats in the league.
He should shove tonight.
Key stat: Gausman is averaging 7.0 IP in his last five starts.
Quick pick
Blue Jays moneyline (-134): I think Gausman is in for a big game but I can’t say the same for Angels starter Carson Fulmer.
Fulmer just got moved out of the bullpen to a larger role and has posted a solid 3.60 ERA in five starts. On a surface level that seems impressive but I’m skeptical.
Two of those starts were against the Oakland Athletics, one was against the Colorado Rockies and one was against the Seattle Mariners. The latter of which is struggling mightily to put the bat on the ball lately.
Fulmer has also only recorded 5.0-plus innings pitched once.
That means the Angels bullpen is going to get some run and it has been horrible.
L.A.’s relievers rank 23rd in ERA (4.21) and strikeouts (395). Toronto has been hitting better lately and I expect its bats to show up this evening.
Picks made at 9:11 a.m. on 08/13/24.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.