July has not been kind to the Toronto Blue Jays.
A 10-game stretch that includes only one win extended through the past week and has Toronto sitting with a record of 45-42, down to fourth in the AL East, well behind the division-leading New York Yankees, who hold a 16.5 game lead.
The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays also jumped ahead of the Blue Jays as a result of this tough stretch, so there is a lot of work to be done in the final 70-plus games of the regular season.
As they have done all season, bookmakers at Ontario sports betting sites are wary of leaving odds too long on the Blue Jays to win the World Series.
The Jays rank sixth on the odds board at +1400, a significant drop from their early season odds, but still shorter than their record and recent results can justify.
With the power this offense has, the team just needs to get hot at the right time, but at this point even making the playoffs is no guarantee.
So placing a wager on Ontario betting apps to not only make the playoffs, but win the World Series, seems a tad optimistic.
If Toronto’s odds at DraftKings Ontario or PointsBet Canada were more similar to the +3000 and +4000 numbers given to the Red Sox and Rays, a bet could be more easily justified.
As far as the division goes, the Yankees are just too far ahead and even a +4000 number on the Blue Jays is not worth a bet.
Two All-Star Starters for Jays
There was some bright news for Toronto as first baseman Vladimir Guerrero and catcher Alejandro Kirk were voted starters for this month's All-Star Game.
There were Blue Jays in the mix for All-Star spots at almost every position, and on Sunday pitcher Alek Manoah and outfielder George Springer were notified that they, too would be heading to Los Angeles to represent Toronto. The Midsummer Classic is July 19 at Dodger Stadium.
The other good news about the All-Star Game is simply that it is still in front of the Blue Jays, meaning they still have lots of time to get the season back on track. With such a large payroll and such a great offense, their current position in the standings is unacceptable and the team will need to get that rectified in short order.
Getting any momentum going was problem all week for Toronto. In its lone win, a Jose Berrios gem on the mound was enough to get them a 2-1 victory. Toronto unfortunately wasted the other quality pitching starts it received over the week, losing 2-1 to Seattle on Saturday despite a predictably strong Manoah performance.
The lack of depth and long stretch of games played a role in their 6-5 loss on Sunday as young Max Castillo, typically a long reliever for the club, got the start after pitching three innings in relief just three days prior.
He was called on in that game because Anthony Banda, another reliever for the squad, could not get out of the first inning in a spot start.
Getting Kevin Gausman back on the mound will be crucial for Toronto, which is currently down two starters with Hyun-Jin Ryu out for the year.
Jays Not Scoring Enough Runs
The offense was also not near good enough with a total of 17 runs through seven games.
The Jays still rank near the top of most offensive stats but they are dropping slightly, a slide this team cannot afford especially with their pitching being tested so much lately.
A return home for two series should help cure the offense, with the Philadelphia Phillies and lowly Kansas City Royals on the docket for the upcoming week.
With a strong performance the Jays can get back into a playoff spot, therefore making any World Series futures bets on BetMGM Ontario more justifiable for bettors and fans.
