If you’re betting on the Toronto Blue Jays at Ontario sportsbook apps, your ears probably perked up on Sunday with the news the team acquired flame-thrower Jordan Hicks from the St. Louis Cardinals to bolster the back end of their bullpen.
After all, the Baltimore Orioles, who are first in the American League East, are perhaps best known for hard-throwing bullpen All-Stars Yennier Cano and Felix Bautista. Any team with legitimate World Series aspirations needs a bullpen at that level.
And Hicks, a right-hander, was the top bullpen arm available out there on the trade market.
Blue Jays Betting Odds Shift
On Monday, World Series and AL pennant betting odds shifted to reflect Sunday’s move, in which Toronto sent young righty pitchers Sem Robberse and Adam Kloffenstein, both Double A prospects, to St. Louis. Last week at BetMGM Ontario Sportsbook, the Jays’ pennant odds sat at 11.0. Today those have been shortened to 9.0.
The Tampa Bay Rays are at 4.25 going into Monday’s games, followed by the Houston Astros (4.75), Texas Rangers (5.0), the Orioles (7.0), then the Jays.
A Jays’ trade for a right-handed bat before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. Eastern MLB trade deadline could shorten those odds further.
On the World Series front, the Blue Jays this morning sit at 17.0. Last week those odds were at 21.0, according to BetMGM.
2023 World Series Betting Odds
The Atlanta Braves have the best World Series odds at 4.25 in Ontario sports betting, followed by the Dodgers (5.5), Rays (8.0), Astros (9.0), Rangers (10.0), Orioles (13.0), then the Jays.
Hicks has an average fastball speed of 101 mph, second in the major leagues only behind Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins.
The timing of the move was key, with the news over the weekend the Jays had to move All-Star closer Jordan Romano to the 15-day disable list with lower back issues. So Hicks will slide right in, helping a Toronto bullpen that has been overworked recently. Several recent Jays’ losses were at the feet of the bullpen.
The Jays currently have the fourth-best bullpen in MLB, with a 3.68 ERA.
Turning to another online casinos option for sports wagering, Proline this morning has the Jays World Series odds at 13.0, and their pennant odds at 8.0.
Orioles Visit Toronto For Key Series
The Orioles come into the Rogers Centre for a four-game set starting tonight, at 7:07 p.m. Chris Bassitt (10-5, 3.91 ERA, 118 Ks) starts for the Jays against Kyle Gibson (9-6, 4.68 ERA, 103 Ks).
This morning, the Jays sit 5.5 games behind the first place Orioles in the AL East and are second in the wild card standings. BetMGM AL East odds this morning: Orioles at 2.2, Rays at 2.3, Jays 5.5, the struggling New York Yankees 36.0, then the Boston Red Sox 41.0.
Biggest World Series line movements at BetMGM from Open to Current have been the Braves (9.0 to 4.25), Rays (23.0 to 8.0) and Rangers (51.0 to 10.0).
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