Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) celebrates with Blue Jays Teoscar Hernandez after Hernandez hit a game-tying solo home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole during the sixth inning of a major league baseball game on opening day at Yankee Stadium, Thursday, April 1, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
- The Blue Jays and Yankees face off for the second of their four-game set on Saturday, April 3rd
- Toronto pulled out a 3-2 win in extra innings on Opening Day
- Get our full odds, preview, and best bet for this matchup below
It wasn’t easy, but the Toronto Blue Jays started off their season in fine fashion on the road in the Bronx. After a day off on Friday, Toronto and New York prepare for game two of the series on Saturday, April 3rd (first-pitch 1:05pm ET) at Yankee Stadium.
For the Jays, veteran right-hander Ross Stripling gets the ball, while two-time AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber makes his first start for the Yankees after signing a one-year deal back in January.
Toronto has now won four of their last five games against the Yanks dating back to last season, outscoring them 33-21 during that span.
Blue Jays vs Yankees Odds
| Team | Moneyline at FanDuel | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Jays | +156 | +1.5 (-128) | Ov 9 (-118) |
| NY Yankees | -186 | -1.5 (+106) | Un 9 (-104) |
Odds taken April 2nd
The latest Blue Jays vs Yankees odds are favoring New York at -175.
Stripling Looking to Take Advantage of Opportunity
Coming into this season, Stripling was on the outside looking in for a rotation spot, but injuries to Nate Pearson and Robbie Ray are giving the 31-year old the chance to get the ball on Saturday.
Strips > Wings 🐓
High five @RossStripling if you’re ready to start the season! ✋ pic.twitter.com/6t2AVUndnK
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 28, 2021
Stripling made three starts in Spring Training, compiling a 3.77 ERA in 14.1 innings. When it comes to facing the Yankees, he’s enjoyed a decent amount of success, holding them to a .157 average, although it’s been a small sample size.
Yankees Stats vs Ross Stripling
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Sanchez | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| DJ LeMahieu | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .313 |
| Aaron Judge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Gleyber Torres | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .333 |
| Clint Frazier | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 |
| Aaron Hicks | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .500 |
| Gio Urshela | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Jay Bruce | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
DJ LeMahieu, arguably NY’s most consistent hitter, has a solid track record against Stripling from their days in the National League. Giancarlo Stanton has also gone deep off the veteran.
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The Yankees will be looking to wake up their bats on Saturday after a rather forgettable performance at the dish on Opening Day. Their lineup struck out a total of 13 times vs Toronto’s staff and managed just six hits. Gary Sanchez did go deep though, for a two-run shot in the 2nd inning off Ryu.
Get us going, Gary 💪 pic.twitter.com/yVCL7A0zL5
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 1, 2021
Despite a lot of these Yankee hitters being unfamiliar with Stripling, the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and DJ LaMahieu will be looking to break out after a quiet day on Thursday.
Kluber Looking to Get Back to All-Star Form
Kluber has dealt with his fair share of injuries across the last two seasons. He pitched just one inning for the Texas Rangers in 2020 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
A fresh start in the Bronx, barring health issues, will be an opportunity for Kluber to find his Cy Young form. The righty made four starts in the spring, striking out 14 in 13 innings while posting a 2.77 ERA.
He’s also 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA at Yankee Stadium in his career, although Kluber was in the opposite dugout. When it comes to this young, vibrant Jays lineup, none of them have even faced the 34-year old, with the exception of Marcus Semien.
Blue Jays Stats vs Kluber
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Jansen | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Marcus Semien | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | .111 |
| Bo Bichette | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Cavan Biggio | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lourdes Gurriel Jr. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Randal Grichuk | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Teoscar Hernandez | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rowdy Tellez | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | .000 |
The Jays’ bats didn’t have much luck off Gerrit Cole in the series opener, collecting just five hits. But, Teoscar Hernandez, who is coming off an AL Silver Slugger award, had a solid day, going 3-for-4 with a game-tying homer in the sixth inning off the Yankees ace.
💪 @TeoscarH is the 13th player in franchise history with 3 hits AND a 💣 on Opening Day! #TBJHomers pic.twitter.com/cmAp0jkatg
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 2, 2021
Randal Grichuk, who was in the starting lineup in place of the injured George Springer, also went 2-for-4 with the game-winning double in the top of the 10th inning.
It’s hard to know what Kluber Toronto will get here because he hasn’t been healthy in a while. But, considering the promise he showed in the spring, the vet looks ready to roll.
Best Bet
I’m taking the Yanks to have a breakout offensive performance here and take game two in the series. Kluber will keep the Jays’ bats quiet enough, while NY will get it done against Stripling.
Pick: NY Yankees ML (-175)
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Quinn Allen
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT ’17). He writes about European Football, Basketball, and Baseball for numerous sites across the globe.
