Blue Jays betting guide: Lean on Guerrero, Gausman after emotional opener - Sportsnet.ca | Canada News Media
Connect with us

Sports

Blue Jays betting guide: Lean on Guerrero, Gausman after emotional opener – Sportsnet.ca

Published

 on


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.

Adblock test (Why?)



Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

 on

 

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.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

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.

___

AP cricket:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

 on

 

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.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

 on

 

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version