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Blue Jays vs. Angels Expert Pick – April 9th, 2023

Dan Angell, Contributor
Blue Jays vs. Angels Expert Pick - April 9th 2023
Blue Jays vs. Angels Expert Pick - April 9th, 2023. Photo by Ashley Landis/AP Photo.

Blue Jays vs. Angels Expert Pick - April 9th, 2023

BLUE JAYS VS. ANGELS EXPERT PICK - APRIL 9th, 2023  - If you like offense, you’ve likely chosen the right game, as these teams have put up some big numbers so far in this series.

Toronto has had to score a lot of runs out of necessity because the Jays’ starters have routinely left the offense needing to carry the load. Already, the Blue Jays have given up nine runs on four occasions this season, and the starters carry a combined 4.79 ERA.

That might get worse before it gets better, as the Angels have scored six or more runs on four occasions this season. Los Angeles usually hits the ball well because of Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, and Taylor Ward is off to a fine start this season. Plus, the Angels have never had a problem hitting Yusei Kikuchi, whether Kikuchi was wearing Blue Jays or Mariners colors. Over 17 innings of work in the past two seasons against the Angels, Kikuchi has surrendered 15 earned runs. 

Reid Detmers doesn’t have that history against the Blue Jays, meeting them just once last year in an easy 12-0 win. His biggest concern is control, as Toronto’s lineup is full of hitters who can punish the Angels if they make a mistake.

The Odds

Matchup

Open

Spread

Total

Moneyline

Toronto Blue Jays 

(5-4 SU,
4-5 RL)

O9.5

+1.5

O9.5

+105

Los Angeles Angels

(5-3 SU, 4-4 RL)

-1.5

-1.5

U7.5

-125

First Pitch

When: Sunday, April 9th at 4:05 pm EST

Where: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, Calif. 

Starting Pitchers: Yusei Kikuchi, TOR (1-0, 1.80 ERA, 2 K’s) vs. Reid Detmers, LAA (0-0, 3.86 ERA, 7 K’s) 

Public Bets: 59% on Los Angeles

Public Money: 72% on Los Angeles

Odds courtesy of DraftKings, as of April 9th, 2023

Toronto vs. Los Angeles In-Season Trends

Traditionally, these teams score a fair amount of runs whenever they meet.

The OVER has cashed in eight of the past 11 meetings, including six of eight played in Anaheim. Toronto has also done its best work against the Angels in Southern California, winning five of the past six meetings at Angel Stadium.

However, in recent matchups, it’s been the Angels getting the better of the Jays, winning four of five. Neither team has made for a strong underdog play this season; both have just one win on the year when they weren’t the favorite.

 

Players to Watch

Detmers’ control will be critical. The Jays see a fair amount of pitches and tend to wait for the right one to try to drive, which could be problematic with a pitcher that doesn’t always have the easiest time finding the strike zone. Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are both hitting above .300 for the season, and with offense always likely in this matchup, backing one of those hitters to hit a home run could be a reasonable prop play.

Kikuchi doesn’t seem like a great bet to make a deep start either. The pitcher doesn’t normally pitch past five innings, and facing the Angels’ lineup a couple times through is no picnic. Given how hard the Angels tend to whack his pitches, backing him under 14.5 outs makes a lot of sense.

The Pick

The Angels and Blue Jays play to a draw on offense, but the pitching has given the Angels the edge in this matchup. Toronto’s starters are just too shaky for me to trust at this point, and the Angels have played well at home to this point in the season. They have a favorable matchup that they should be able to exploit.



Dan's Pick

Angels ML (-125)

Over 9.5

Author

  • Dan is originally from Virginia and has covered basketball games across the country over the past 18 years. He now resides in Indianapolis and loves a good defensive showcase. His Twitter @danangell11.

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  1. Pingback:John Fredericks: Best MLB Bets for April 9th, 2023

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