Let's dive into this little gem of a game between Toronto Blue Jays and the Athletics, shall we?
The rumble between these powerhouses is taking place in the Oakland Coliseum. Now, historians among you will remember that this little sandbox is a friend to the one who wields the ball rather than a bat. So, you'd think a good pitcher could turn this match, right? We've got Max Scherzer in the firing line for the Blue Jays. The man's got an ERA of 4.76 this season, not his best but not too shabby. And for the Athletics? They’re pulling Luis Severino out of their sleeve with an ERA of 5.51 in this season, which is investors’ way of saying “there's room for improvement.”
Looking at the players’ performance, the Jays have been hitting like each ball had personally offended them. Have a look at George Springer – a batting average of 0.340 and 25 RBIs! Then we've got Ernie Clement and Addison Barger making batting look like child's play. Athletics, on the other hand, haven't been entirely averse to scoring runs either, hello Nick Kurtz with his 25 RBIs and Brent Rooker with his 6 home runs.
And hey, remember that fun series last year when the Blue Jays pretty much set up shop in the Athletics' back yard and creamed them? That was something to see.
Now, let's look at how our two teams have fared recently. The Blue Jays clocked up wins like they were going out of fashion, with a strong recent record of 54-39. On the opposite side, with 38-56, the Athletics have been acting like they’re allergic to wins.
Taking all this into account, I predict an interesting game no doubt. But when the dust clears, my money’s on the Toronto Blue Jays to clean up this mess.
Albert’s Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays by 3