TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION WEDNESDAY, JULY 6TH
#967 TORONTO with Berrios (-190) over Oakland with Kaprielian at 3:37 PM EST
Checking in hungry off five consecutive straight up losses, the Blue Jays will dig deep and find a way to win this game over the Athletics on Wednesday afternoon. Toronto has dropped into the No. 4 slot in the AL East standings and the Blue Birds need to pick up the pace immediately.
Seasoned righty Jose Berrios will hit the hump for the visitors. With 16 starts to his credit this season, No. 17 has been touched for 53 earned runs and 97 hits in 83.1 innings of work. Berrios struck out 67 and walked 22 on his way to a 6-4 tally with a 5.72 ERA. Jose’s last three performances in this series are noteworthy too. Last season, Berrios was nicked for eight earned runs and 16 hits in 18.2 frames. That shakes down to a 1-1 tally with a respectable 3.86 ERA.
Struggling righty James Kaprielian will toe the rubber for the home team. So far this season, No. 32 has made 12 starts for the Athletics and been punched for 35 earned runs and 53 hits in 58.0 innings. Kaprielian fanned 40 and walked 27 on his way to a 1-5 tally with a 5.43 ERA. James’ luck in his own backyard has been terrible too. With 22.1 frames completed, Kaprielian has been crunched for 16 earned runs and 23 hits. That’s bad enough for an 0-3 tally with an ugly 6.45 ERA.
This is a solid technical spot for the Blue Birds too. Toronto has grabbed wins in 22 of its last 32 when facing a foe that holds a team won/loss percentage less than .400 and 35 of its last 52 when coming off a loss. On the other side of the yard, Oakland has fallen in 42 of its last 60 at home and 49 of its last 70 when facing a foe that holds a team won/loss percentage greater than .500.
The A’s have slipped in 28 of their last 38 in their own backyard and they are in prime position to fall here especially after grabbing wins in the first two games of this series. Take Toronto with Berrios. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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