The Toronto Blue Jays kicked off their 2022 season in dramatic fashion by storming back to beat the Texas Rangers 10-8 last night in their series opener from Rogers Centre. Hopefully this piece will help you make an informed decision if you’re in the mood to put down a couple bucks on the game.
Editor’s note: All betting lines are courtesy of Bet365 and are current as of the time of publication.
Money Line: Blue Jays -200 | Rangers +170
Run Line: Blue Jays -1.5 (-105) | Rangers +1.5 (-115)
Total: 9.5 – Over (+105) | 9.5 – Under (-125)
Toronto: The Blue Jays had to work hard to avoid yet another home opening loss to begin their season at Rogers Centre after going into last night’s game 1-9 over their last 10 true openers. But what about the second game of the season? Toronto is 3-5 with a +4 run differential in their last eight games following their home opener in Toronto. The Jays, though, are a scorching 7-1 in their last eight meetings with Texas at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays are also 5-0 in their last five against the American League West and 12-4 in their last 16 games as a home favourite.
Texas: The Rangers blew a seven-run lead which has been to script lately when they’re the underdog. Texas has been brutal lately as the doggie by going an abysmal 16-42 in their last 56 games as a road underdog. Oh, it gets worse! The Rangers are a putrid 15-50 in their last 65 road games overall. They’ve also had their struggles against the American League East recently by going 3-13 in their last 16 against the division.
My pick: If you’re into momentum, the Blue Jays have it heading into today’s game after last night’s comeback victory. Kevin Gausman makes his Toronto debut and was lights out in his only Spring Training appearance last week and has had some success versus Texas in his career. I’ll ride the wave of the comeback win from last night, and the fact that the Jays own the Rangers lately and take the Blue Jays here at -1.5 at -105.
Total: The Blue Jays and Rangers pounded out 17 hits and 18 total runs in last night’s season and series opener flying over the closing total of 9.0. Although the Jays were one of the best teams to the under last season, overs have been the play lately when they face Texas. The over is 6-2-2 in the last 10 meetings between these teams at Rogers Centre. The over is 7-1 in Texas’ last eight games as an underdog and 22-10-2 in their last 34 road games with the total set at 9.0-to-10.5.
Pitching matchup: RHP Kevin Gausman (14-6, 2.81 ERA) makes his first start as a Blue Jay while RHP Dane Dunning (5-10, 4.51 ERA) counters for Texas. Gausman has a 3-2 record with a 2.83 ERA and 38 strikeouts in seven career appearances versus the Rangers. The Toronto righty last faced Texas on July 29th, 2017, while with Baltimore and tossed 8.2 innings of seven hit shutout. Gausman dazzled in his only Spring appearance last week by giving up just three hits and two earned runs in 6.0 innings against the Tigers.
Dunning, meanwhile, allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in five innings in his only career start against the Blue Jays which was last April in Arlington. The right-hander, though, rode the struggle bus on the road last season by going 0-7 with a 6.39 ERA away from home in 12 starts.
Player props: Player total bases
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1.5 – Over -155 | 1.5 – Under -125)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got off to a solid start to his 2022 season by going 2-for-4 with two RBI in last night’s win over Texas. Guerrero Jr., though, is 0-2 in two plate appearances against Dane Dunning in his career.
Corey Seager (1.5 – Over +100 | 1.5 – Under -140)
Corey Seager was 2-for-4 with a walk in his Rangers debut last night. Seager has had success against Kevin Gausman in his career by slashing an eye-popping .429/.600/.571. The Texas shortstop is 3-for-7 with an RBI in 10 plate appearances against Toronto’s righty.
My Pick: I think there is value here on Corey Seager with his previous success against Kevin Gausman in his career. Seager’s .600 on-base percentage when facing Gausman is the reason why I’ll bite and take Seager and his total bases prop to go over 1.5 at +110.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
