The Toronto Blue Jays look to complete the three-game sweep when they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The Blue Jays (72-59), who hold the third wild-card position in the American League playoff race, have won two in a row and four of their last five. The Pirates (49-83), meanwhile, have dropped three in a row and 11 of 13. Toronto is two games behind Tampa Bay for the top wild-card position and just six games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East.
First pitch from PNC Park in Pittsburgh is set for 12:05 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays lead the all-time series 10-7, and are 4-4 against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Toronto is a –220 favorite on the money line (risk $220 to win $100) in the latest Blue Jays vs. Pirates odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 8. Before making any Pirates vs. Blue Jays picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, and it is a 309-266 on top-rated MLB money-line picks since the start of the 2021 season. This is the same model that pegged the 2021 Atlanta Braves at 10-1 as one of three best bets to win it all last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Blue Jays vs. Pirates and revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see all of the model’s MLB picks. Here are several MLB odds and trends for Pirates vs. Blue Jays:
- Blue Jays vs. Pirates money line: Toronto -220, Pittsburgh +180
- Blue Jays vs. Pirates over-under: 8 runs
- Blue Jays vs. Pirates run line: Blue Jays -1.5 (-125)
- TOR: The Blue Jays are 5-0 in their last five road games
- PIT: The under is 5-1 in the Pirates’ last six games
- Blue Jays vs. Pirates picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Why you should back the Blue Jays
Toronto is expected to send right-hander Ross Stripling (6-4, 2.94 ERA) to the mound. Stripling has pitched well this season and has not allowed more than three earned runs in an appearance since giving up four in an 8-2 loss at Cleveland on May 7. In his last outing, he allowed three earned runs on seven hits with zero walks and six strikeouts in six innings against the Los Angeles Angels. He picked up his last win on Aug. 23 at Boston, allowing just one earned run on six hits and one walk, while striking out six in six innings of a 9-3 Blue Jays victory.
Shortstop Bo Bichette came up big in Saturday’s 4-1 win over the Pirates, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Bichette has feasted on Pittsburgh pitching this series, going 5-for-9 with two doubles, one homer and five RBI. He has hits in five of his last six games. For the season, Bichette is batting .265 with 18 homers, 71 RBI and 69 runs scored.
Why you should back the Pirates
Pittsburgh will look to salvage the final game of the series by sending right-hander JT Brubaker (3-11, 4.39 ERA) to the hill. He has pitched well in interleague matchups, including his Aug. 18 outing against the Boston Red Sox. In that game, he allowed just two hits, zero runs, zero walks, while striking out seven in seven innings of work in an 8-2 victory. For the season, Brubaker has started 24 games, pitching 127 innings, walking 47, while striking out 132.
Offensively, the Pirates have been led by shortstop Oneil Cruz, who was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI on Saturday. Cruz has been hot of late with hits in five of his last seven games. At Milwaukee last week, Cruz drove in five runs with a homer in the three-game series. For the season, he has 11 homers, 36 RBI and 26 runs scored in 60 games played.
How to make Pirates vs. Blue Jays picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 9.7 combined runs, and it says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model’s MLB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Blue Jays vs. Pirates? And which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
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