The MLB betting action goes on with a loaded 16-game Saturday card, so we have prepared the best Blue Jays vs. Angels betting pick and odds, as Toronto and Los Angeles continue their four-game American League series at Angel Stadium with Game 3. 

The Blue Jays beat the Angels 6-3 as +150 road dogs in Thursday’s opener, while Friday night’s contest has been excluded from this preview. The Halos are listed as small -108 moneyline favorites for Saturday’s clash, and the totals sit at 8.5 runs on BetDSI Sportsbook.  

The Jays crushed Ohtani for their second straight W                           

The Toronto Blue Jays scored five runs off Shohei Ohtani in the opener, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, and Danny Jansen all hit a solo home run. Guerrero went yard for his second straight appearance, and the Blue Jays improved to 24-20 on the season, tallying their second win in a row. 

Toronto’s offense has been a big disappointment so far this season, scoring only 3.73 runs per game (24th in the majors) on a .232/.301/.382 slash line (.238/.309/.382 league average). On the pitching side of things, the Jays carry a 3.48 ERA (9th) and 1.18 WHIP (also 9th). 

Yusei Kikuchi will get the nod Saturday, and the 30-year-old southpaw is doing a solid job in his first season with the Blue Jays. Kikuchi holds a 2-1 record, 3.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 40/23 K/BB ratio in eight starts (36.1 frames). Through his four apps in May, Yusei has registered a sharp 2.08 ERA and 2.77 FIP. 

The Halos have struggled a bit lately                  

The Los Angeles Angels’ loss to the Jays on Thursday was their sixth defeat in their last nine outings at any location. The Halos dropped to 27-19 and were trailing the AL West-leading Houston Astros by two and a half games. 

Over their last five games, the Angels have scored 19 runs on a solid .276/.324/.405 triple-slash. Their offense is averaging 4.72 runs per contest (6th in the MLB) while boasting the highest OPS+ in baseball (116). 

The Halos’ pitching staff owns a 3.50 ERA (10th) and 1.11 WHIP (3rd). Michael Lorenzen will take the mound Saturday, searching for his third consecutive win. The 30-year-old righty is 5-2 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 29/13 K/BB ratio in seven starts (41.1 innings) in 2022. 

Trends:

Toronto: 

  • 5-10 in the last 15 games against the Angels 
  • 2-6 in Yusei Kikuchi’s eight starts in 2022 

LA Angels:

  • 12-5 in the last 17 games at home 
  • 4-1 in Michael Lorenzen’s last five starts  

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Angels Pick 

With Yusei Kikuchi and Michael Lorenzen on the mound, it’s tough to predict the winner. Although both Kikuchi and Lorenzen have pitched well of late, they’ll have a tall task to slow down the bats in this matchup. 

The Blue Jays’ offense will certainly improve following a rough start, while the Angels have been one of the best offensive teams in the majors since the opening week. The current Halos are slashing .371/.400/.797 in 50 at-bats against Kikuchi, so I lean toward the hosts. The current Blue Jays have just nine at-bats against Lorenzen (three hits and a .300 slugging percentage), but there are some very dangerous guys in Toronto’s lineup. 

Pick: Take Los Angeles Angels at -108                         

The Total:

Betting on the over seems like a way to go in this game. The Jays should get things going after scoring six runs in the opener, and the Angels’ bullpen has registered a pedestrian 4.96 ERA in the last seven days of action. 

On the other side, the Jays’ bullpen has recorded a 2.84 ERA in that span, but it’s hard to trust Yusei Kikuchi despite his recent performance. Taylor Ward is 4-for-5 with a home run and a double against Kikuchi, while Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout have combined for seven hits and three dingers in 21 at-bats versus the Jays’ lefty. 

Pick: Go over 8.5 runs at -105