Blue Jays and Red Sox Face-Off in Heated AL East Battle
Here’s a preview of two red-hot teams, where the Blue Jays and Red Sox meet.
The Toronto Blue Jays will host the Boston Red Sox at the TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, for the start of their three-game series. Both of these teams have been red hot in an already very competitive AL East. The Red Sox lead the table with a 25-17 record, getting it done notably well on the road with an intimidating twelve wins and five losses. The Blue Jays trail just behind in second place 1.5 games back with a 22-17 record. They have only lost five on the road this year and have won seven of their last ten games, so suffice to say this will be a series to watch. Two winning teams in as must-win of a scenario as one can get this early on in the season.
The Red Sox will be trying to right the ship after a heartbreaking finish to their series against the Angels. It was tight the whole way through with both teams hitting decently and playing a solid defensive game, but a two-run homer in the top of the 9th inning to take the lead by one is an end that will sting into the next few games.
The Blue Jays, on the other hand, need to keep steering their ship the right way. They have been playing phenomenal baseball, and their schedule shows. A sweep of the Atlanta Braves and two solid wins against the Philadelphia Phillies to finish their series will have the Blue Jays naturally confident.
Blue Jays: Way to Win
Hyun Jin Ryu needs to come off the mound especially strong. He has been decent this season, not posting the most impressive numbers but also running through games at a reliable level. Three wins in seven games started with a 2.95 ERA and 38 strikeouts shows that Ryu is putting his guys in a place to win.
This is where we have to mention Vlad Guerrero Jr. and the monster season he has been having. Not to mention he is looking for his fourth straight home-run game. A deep lineup led by Semien, Bichette, and Guerrero Jr. means that the Blue Jays really just have to perform to their potential to win this game. They have the tools on the offensive side, but Ryu has to hold off the equally impressive bats of the Red Sox to squeak out of this with a win.
Red Sox: Way to Win
ESPN just recently posted their full power rankings, and the Red Sox found themselves comfortably in second. They are, without a doubt, one of the best teams in baseball, and a hiccup at the beginning of the season will hurt their record until more games have been played and they can balance it out.
With Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound and his MLB-third-best five wins in seven starts, the Red Sox will have the tools to win this game from the get-go. They win the matchup on the mound on paper, and with J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts being absolutely ruthless in the box, the Red Sox should have this one on paper. Dominating a beatable Ryu early on can set the tone for this game and the series and let the Red Sox further their AL East lead.
Red Sox vs Blue Jays: Prediction
This matchup will most certainly be a good one, and any battle between two fantastic offenses is always great contests. The scoreboard could get run up, and it could easily be decided late in the game.
With that said, the Red Sox are too good of a baseball team right now, especially with Rodriguez pitching, for me to pick anybody against them.
Pick: Red Sox
