The Blue Jays (75-62, 40-32 away) travel to take on the Athletics (42-95, 23-45 home) in game one of this American League matchup. José Berríos is getting the start for the Blue Jays while Ken Waldichuk is starting for the Athletics. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Toronto Blue Jays vs. Oakland Athletics showdown at Oakland Coliseum.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS VS OAKLAND ATHLETICS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Oakland Athletics +161

This game will be played at Oakland Coliseum at 4:07 ET on Monday, September 4th.

WHY BET THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS:

  • In their previous five games, the Athletics have a record of 4-1.
  • The Athletics are on a three game winning streak as the home favorite.
  • José Berríos has struggled of late, coming in with an ERA of 5.00 over his last five starts.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN AL EAST

For the season, the Blue Jays are 75-62 overall, including going 40-32 on the road and 35-30 at home. When looking at their overall series record, Toronto is above .500 at 24-17-2. In the AL East, the Blue Jays are currently 3rd.

The Blue Jays will turn to José Berríos for their next game, who has a 9-10 record this season. He has made 27 appearances with an ERA of 3.70 and K/9 of 8.32. His FIP is 4.18 and OBP is .300 thus far in 2023.

José Berríos was handed the loss in his most recent start, as the Blue Jays fell to the Nationals 5-4. Despite going six innings, Berríos gave up five runs and six hits.

For the season, the Blue Jays’ offense is averaging 4.6 runs per game. Over their last five games they have swung the bats well, sitting 1st in the league in scoring, with a total of 38 runs. Overall, Toronto’s team batting average is .261, putting them 4th in the MLB.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been one of the Blue Jays’ most productive hitters this season, boasting a .266 batting average and 82 RBIs. Additionally, he has hit 21 home runs in 2023.

WILL THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Heading into today’s game, the Athletics are 5th in the AL West on an overall record of 42-95. So far, they have played in 43 series, and are below .500 at 10-31-2. This season, the Athletics are 23-45 at home and 19-50 on the road.

Ken Waldichuk has not had the best of seasons so far, as the Athletics starter holds a 2-7 record in 30 appearances. His ERA stands at 5.92, while his K/9 figure is 9 and his FIP is 5.52. Opponents have managed to get on base against him at a .361 clip.

Ken Waldichuk’s most recent outing saw him surrender just one hit over four innings. He ultimately allowed one earned run, though his team, the Athletics, still emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over the Mariners.

This season, the Athletics are 30th in the league at 3.7 runs per game. Over their last ten games, they have a combined batting average of .234 (18th) leading to 5.1 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.1 walks per game compared to 9 strikeouts. Oakland’s on-base percentage of .301 has them 22nd in the MLB.

Over the Athletics’ last five games, Ryan Noda has been a force at the plate, leading the team in hits and batting an impressive .458. For the season, Noda is hitting .240 with 45 RBIs.