Mark Lammey
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It’s safe to say that these teams will be in different places come the end of the regular season. The Blue Jays now have an outside shot at winning the AL East, and are in a firm position for an AL wildcard spot. Meanwhile, the Angels have been quite a disappointment this season. However, they did just get 3-time MVP-winner Mike Trout back. Coupled with the generational talent of Shohei Ohtani, they always post a threat. Not only is this the first game of the day, it’s one of the featured matchups with two aces on the mound. Along with this same game parlay, be sure to check out our MLB picks for all of today’s games.
Angels ML (+136)
Under 8.5 total runs (-184)
Alek Manoah 6+ strikeouts (-280)
Parlay odds: +400
Let’s take a closer look at each leg of our same game parlay.
Los Angeles Angels ML (+136) over Toronto Blue Jays
The Angels haven’t been an easy team to support this season, but they certainly handled things well last night. They have a great opportunity for back-to-back upsets with Shohei Ohtani on the mound. He had to leave his most recent start with a stomach bug, but was back the next night. With no health concerns, there’s no reason he can’t be in his historic form from earlier this season. He went 6 straight starts, striking out at least 10 batters. Although it wasn’t during that stretch, that’s exactly what he did against the Blue Jays earlier this season. While that ultimately ended in a loss, he’s still been just as great recently.
Now that he has Trout back in the lineup alongside him, there is value on the Angels at this plus-money. Seeing that they were swept the last time these teams met may cause hesitation. However, each of the last 3 games were decided by a single run. Since then, Jays ace Alek Manoah has not been on Ohtani’s level. Toronto has lost his last 3 starts, 2 of which were to the Orioles. He’s allowed at least 3 runs in 3 of his last 5 starts, including a loss to the Tigers, the 2nd-worst team in the AL. While 3 runs may not sound like a lot, it is when Ohtani is the opposing pitcher. He should be able to get that many to help with a win, as Trout is hitting .317 with a .593 slugging percentage against the Jays in his career.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for the Los Angeles Angels vs Toronto Blue Jays
Under 8.5 total runs (-184)
We’re going with a slightly alternate total due to the combination of plays. This is primarily about trusting Ohtani to continue his MVP-caliber season. That’s because the Angels lighting up the scoreboard last night was quite the outlier. Despite those 12 runs, they’ve still scored the 6th-fewest runs this season. Even when Trout homered in back-to-back games against the Rays this week, the Angels scored just 4 runs across those 2 games.
That’s similar to the outing that Manoah had against them earlier this season. That was a 4-3 final, and each of Manoah’s last 2 starts have been 4-2 losses. Win or lose, the Jays ace has been great for unders overall. Six of his last 9 starts have all ended with 7 or fewer runs. Therefore, we’re trusting Ohtani to prove that his last start was only due to his stomach issue. Even that game ended with just 4 total runs. With top pitchers on the mound, there’s a reason this total is set so low.
Also check out our YRFI/NRFI best bets for today!
Alek Manoah 6+ strikeouts (-280)
Yes, the Angels can still pull off the upset while Manoah hits this prop. It’s also why we can afford to go with the lowest alternate strikeout total possible. While it may seem like it doesn’t add value, the odds would only be about +300 without it. As incredible as Ohtani is both on the mound and at the plate, the Angels simply strike out far too often. They’ve done so the most in the entire league, and they’re the only team with over 1,200 on the year. For some perspective, the Blue Jays have struck out just 963 times. Manoah has also had no issue in hitting this prop; he’s struck out at least 7 batters in his last 2 starts. Better yet, he struck out 9 Angels when these teams last met, so there’s no reason to doubt he can do it again.
Don’t miss our MLB mega parlay for tonight’s action (+952 odds!)
What is a Same Game Parlay?
Check out our guide on what is a same game parlay and where can I bet it?
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