It has been close to a decade since the Toronto Blue Jays last advanced past the opening round of the MLB postseason, with their last three trips to the playoffs resulting in two-game sweeps in the AL Wild Card round. Still, folks wagering on the team at Ontario sportsbooks would seem to have plenty to look forward to in the 2024 season.
Fresh off an 89-73 campaign in which Toronto swept in the first round of the postseason at the hands of the Minnesota Twins, it’s worth wondering which days of the week were most successful for the Jays in 2023. We can use this information to get a sense of what the new MLB league year could present for Canada’s MLB franchise, or at least see if last season’s trends hold.
As of Wednesday afternoon, oddsmakers from NorthStar Bets Sportsbook Ontario list Toronto at +1800 odds to win the club’s first World Series since 1993. And their preseason win total is at an over/under of 87.5 for the 2024 season.
To get a sense of which days of the week Toronto succeeded in most in 2023, OntarioBets.com used Baseball-Reference.com to look at the 2023 season to see what day of the week that the Blue Jays were at their best.
Blue Jays’ Record By Day (2023)
Which Days Were Best For Jays In 2023?
For the 2024 season, Pinnacle Ontario Sportsbook gives Toronto +404 odds of winning the American League East, third behind the New York Yankees (+171) and Baltimore Orioles (+243).
Toronto’s best day of the week a year ago was Friday, when the Jays posted an 18-8 (.692) record. Their record on Sundays (18-9, .667) was the next closest.
The only other days where Toronto posted a .500 or better record were Tuesday (13-12, .520) and Wednesday (13-11, .542). Monday was the club’s worst day of the week, at 5-9 (.357), so perhaps it’s a good thing that it’s usually a travel day, hence there are fewer Monday games.
The other days where the Jays posted a sub-.500 record were Thursday (9-10, .474) and Saturday (13-14, .481), illustrating how random success can be at baseball’s highest level.
Toronto Blue Jays MVP Odds
Oddsmakers from BetMGM Ontario Sportsbook list superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a tie for 10th in AL MVP odds, at +2200. That’s the same number as Mike Trout of the Angels. Guerrero’s infield mate, Bo Bichette, slots in at +3000 to take home the MVP award in 2024 and outfielder George Springer is listed at +15000 with BetMGM.
Ace Kevin Gausman has the second best AL Cy Young award chances, at +650, ranking behind Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees (+500). Fellow starters Chris Bassitt (+5000), Jose Berrios (+6600) and Yusei Kikuchi (+8000) are also included.
Toronto has -145 odds to make the playoffs in 2024 at DraftKings Ontario Sportsbook, with a +120 price to miss. Jays fans are likely champing at the bit to see the Jays in action, with the AL East squad taking the diamond for the first time in Spring Training in Dunedin, Florida, on Feb. 24 against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Jays open their regular season March 28 against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, with the first game at Toronto’s Rogers Centre on April 8 against the Seattle Mariners.
Based off the team’s day-by-day record in 2023, it seems like Jays fans should keep their collective fingers crossed that Toronto can turn the table on their Thursday blues against Tampa Bay, their AL East rivals, in the regular-season opener. In the meantime, OntarioBets.com has reviews of the best new sportsbooks in Ontario you’ll want to know about.
