TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION SATURDAY, AUGUST 26TH
#914 TORONTO with Ryu (-180) over Cleveland with Allen at 3:07 PM EST
It’s gut-check time for the Blue Jays. Off three consecutive losses and now sitting 1.5-games back in the AL Wild Card standings, manager John Schneider’s boys have no margin for error right now. Toronto has one of the easiest schedules currently and the Blue Birds need to take care of business especially at home.
Toeing the rubber for the Jays will be left-hander Hyun Jin Ru. Lined up against the Reds, Cubs, and Guardians in his last three starts, No. 99 was tripped for no earned runs and six hits in 14.0 innings. Hyun fanned 12 and issued four free passes on his way to a 2-0 record with an elite 0.00 ERA. Overall, with 10 years in the league, Jin Ru has been effective surrendering just 368 earned runs and 974 hits in 1,022.1 frames. After the math, that equates to a 77-46 tally with a strong 3.24. ERA.
Southpaw Logan Allen will counter for the visitors. So far in August, No. 41 has faced the Tigers, Reds, Blue Jays, and White Sox and been knocked for five earned runs and 16 hits in 23.0 frames. Logan struck out 20 and walked 12 on his way to a 2-2 mark with a 1.96 ERA. With 19 career starts in the books, Allen has surrendered 38 earned runs and 98 hits in 103.1 frames. That adds up to a 6-6 tally with a 3.31 ERA.
There are a couple of really strong trends that back this diamond investment. Cleveland has fallen in 35 of its last 63 as a guest and 28 of its last 47 matched up against a left-handed starter. On the other side of the yard, with Ryu holding the pearl, his teams own a stunning 60-19 record provided Hyun Jin is facing a foe that owns a team won/loss percentage less than .500.
The Blue Jays need this victory badly with the Devil Rays, Mariners, Rangers, and Astros all above them in the AL Wild Card standings and they’ll get it with one of their best arms on the bump. Take Toronto with Ryu. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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