Thu 08/10/2015 - 06:35 EDT

    Toronto vs Texas: Blue Jays Host Rangers to Open the MLB 2015 ALDS

    Toronto Blue Jays: Need to break out of a late season slumber

    It’s been a tale of two seasons in Toronto this year as the Blue Jays were a mediocre 42-39 at the halfway point and a slightly worse 53-51 at the MLB trade deadline at the end of July. Following some of the shrewdest deals in recent memory, that brought Troy Tulowiski, David Price and Ben Revere to Toronto, the Blue Jays went on tear as they posted a 38-14 record leading up to their AL East clinching win in Baltimore on September 30. That said, and although they were still playing meaningful games, Toronto looked rather ordinary down the stretch. The Blue Jays went 1-4 and were outscored by a 34-19 combined count during their final five games of the regular season. Toronto has a high quality mix of hitting, pitching and defense up and down their lineup.

    Texas Rangers: Have been playing playoff style games for two months now

    Texas also use the July 31 MLB trade deadline as a jump-start to a season on the brink. The Rangers situation was a little more dire though as they opened August with a 50-52 record and sat seven games behind Houston in the AL West. Texas won the Cole Hamels sweepstakes and, after they lost during his first two starts, the Rangers went 10-0 when Hamels headed to the hill. Texas also acquired relief pitcher Sam Dyson from the Marlins and he has allowed just four earned runs over 31.1 innings pitched during 31 appearances in a Rangers uniform. Texas closed their season in two month long playoff battle with the Astros and Los Angeles and their 38-22 post-trade deadline record propelled them to the AL West Championship – two games clear of the Astros.

    Texas vs Toronto MLB ALDS Game One Decision: LHP David Price (18-5 ERA 2.45) faces RHP Yovani Gallardo (13-11 ERA 3.42) in the mound matchup today. Price allowed 18 earned runs over 74.1 innings pitched and the Blue Jays were 9-1 during his eleven starts. Gallardo was rumored to be on the trading block in Texas but a deal never materialized. After giving up 15 runs in three starts to close out July, while all the trade talk was circulating, Gallardo settled in and allowed 22 runs over 57 innings and the Rangers went 8-3 during his last eleven starts. While these teams did have similar seasons - Toronto gets an edge in almost every statistical category in this series. Give us the Blue Jays to open their quest to the Fall Classic on a positive note with a 500 unit wager on the money line price. MLB playoff action just a click away via the odds image below.

     

    Category : Sports News

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