New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays – MLB, June 15, 2021

The New York Yankees are in a bad way at the moment. They head into Tuesday’s tilt with the Toronto Blue Jays at just 33-32, losing seven of their last 10 games.

Toronto plays host and are a few games ahead in the AL East, and the Blue Jays will task Hyun-jin Ryu with slowing down a still loaded pinstripes offense.

This game could feature plenty of fireworks, but bettors need to decide which bet stands out the most. To find that out, join me for my Yankees vs. Blue Jays betting pick and prediction.

The odds at the top baseball betting apps point bettors to the Blue Jays and the Over. I can’t fight the latter, as New York and Toronto have monstrous power. Toronto ranks #1 in home runs, while the Yankees pull in at 12th overall.

Neither team has met expectations on the year when it comes to their game totals, but this is arguably a more palatable total than you normally see. Just 8.5 runs for these two offenses going at it is something that instantly stands out.

New York also looks like a fun upset pick right off the bat. Toronto offers fine value as a slight home favorite, as well. The Yanks are the more alluring value, and they need to get out of their rut eventually. Rising up against the team directly above them in the AL East makes some sense.

Should bettors back the Yanks or bet the Over? Let’s take a closer look at this matchup to find out.

Offensively, both of these teams can be nasty. They can smack home runs at a crazy rate, and the Jays don’t even whiff that much.

Both offenses can score in bunches, but bettors do have to factor in the pitching here. Ryu sports a decent 3.34 ERA on the year, and it’s fair to point out that he’s owned the Yankees (1.50 ERA) across two meetings already this season.

That said, he is not a big strikeout guy, and the Yankees have a murderer’s row of lefty mashers. Ryu (9 home runs allowed) has also had some problems keeping the ball in the park lately.

It’s tough to feel amazing about them just teeing off on a guy who rarely gets blown up, but the possibility is obviously there.

I feel far less confident in Jordan Montgomery here. While a serviceable southpaw, Montgomery wasn’t amazing (three earned runs, 1 K) in his last outing against this Toronto lineup.

Montgomery also isn’t an elite strikeout arm, and he can have issues with walks at times. Toronto brings all of the power to the table, and like the Yanks, they are loaded with right-handed bats that excel against lefties.

I think this one is too close to call if you’re looking for a Yankees vs. Blue Jays prediction. If you demand a pick, the Jays stand out. They’re at home, they’re in slightly better form, their offense has been more lethal on the year, and they have the better pitcher.

That isn’t the bet to target here, though. It’s a fine secondary bet, but this game total is too low. Both of these offenses are individually capable of getting to the Over, and 8.5 is very beatable when you look at this matchup.

Ryu should limit the Yanks early, but they can obviously still get to him to a degree, and I doubt Montgomery contains the Jays completely. Ultimately, I think there is a decent amount of scoring here, and this 8.5 total simply won’t be safe.