[8:10 PM] Blue Jays @ Indians

Who will WIN this matchup?

Toronto Blue Jays

@ Cleveland Indians

 

Starting Pitchers:

Estrada (TOR): 1-0; 1.08 ERA

Kluber (CLE) 1-0; 0.00ERA

 

Last 10 Games Played:

Toronto Blue Jays: 6-4

Cleveland Indians: 6-4

 

Current odds:

Toronto Blue Jays: (+130)

Cleveland Indians: (-140)

 

• ESPN simulations have Toronto as XX% favorites to win the game.

• XX% of sports bets are currently on Cleveland to win as (TBD) underdogs.

• Toronto rolled to a sweep of Texas in the AL Division Series while Cleveland was equally strong, taking out Boston in three straight. While it was clear most of the second half of the season that the Indians were going to be involved in the postseason, the Blue Jays had to overcome a late-season funk and then defeat Baltimore in the wild-card game before shredding the Rangers. The Indians’ starting rotation has been dented by injuries to Carlos Carrasco (fractured pitching hand) and Danny Salazar (elbow), so a strong bullpen led by closer Cody Allen and set-up men Andrew Miller and Bryan Shaw will be relied upon heavily in this series.

• Estrada was superb in Game 1 of the ALDS, giving up one run and four hits in 8 1/3 innings. The 33-year-old, who has posted a 3.75 ERA in two career no-decisions against Cleveland, was a playoff standout last year as he went 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three outings.

• The 30-year-old Kluber proved his late-September quadriceps injury was a non-issue by scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings against Boston in Game 2 of the ALDS. Kluber, who is 1-3 with a 5.34 ERA in five career starts against Blue Jays, went 18-9 during the regular season to match his career-best win total from 2014, when he won the AL Cy Young Award.

• Blue Jays 2B Devon Travis (knee) is expected to be ready for the opener after missing the final two games of the ALDS.

• Miller has struck out 53 batters and allowed just five earned runs in 33 innings since being acquired from the New York Yankees.

• Toronto LHP Francisco Liriano is eligible to return Saturday after finishing the seven-day concussion protocol.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Cleveland Indians

Confidence: 5/10

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