After a promising MLB betting season a year ago, the Toronto Blue Jays are hoping Dustin McGowan will develop into a top-flight pitcher in their starting rotation. He's off to a solid start this season, though his efforts haven't translated into wins. McGowan is 0-1 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts with the Jays this season, with Toronto losing all three games he's pitched in. He's pitched well enough to win any of the games, giving up seven runs total, though he could stand to go a little deeper. McGowan has put together 17 innings of work this season and has yet to reach the seventh inning. Either way, he'll need some scoring help. The Jays offense has combined for a paltry eight runs in games started by McGowan this year. BetOnline.com currently has the Toronto Blue Jays as the -113 betting favorite for this MLB Saturday betting matchup.
Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday @ 1:07 p.m. ET
That's become a disturbing trend for the “Blue Birds” lately. Run scoring has been alright, but Toronto has been awful at driving in runners in scoring position or coming up with crucial hits over the past week or so. Losses to Texas on Wednesday and Thursday might have been avoided if Toronto had cashed in base runners when given the opportunity (the Jays, for example, left a horrid 14 runners on base in Wednesday's 14-inning loss to the Rangers).
Jeremy Bonderman will take the hill for the Detroit Tigers, who have finally awoken from their slumber. Many observers picked the Tigers to win the World Series this season, but Detroit opened the season with a painful seven-game losing streak. The ship appears to have been righted; heading into Friday's game against Toronto, the Tigers had won three of their last four games (although they were drubbed 11-1 by Cleveland on Thursday). Bonderman (1-1, 4.58 ERA in three starts) wasn't great in his last start, giving up eight hits and seven runs in 6.1 innings, but Detroit ground out an 11-9 win over Minnesota.
Bonderman has been very good pitching at the Rogers Centre. In five career starts he is 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.10 WHIP (as well as 26 strike outs in 30 innings). McGowan has been roughed up in three career starts against Detroit, going 1-2 with a 9.95 ERA. However, most of that damage came three years ago before the righty had distinguished himself as a capable MLB starter.
Neither of these teams have capitalized on their potential yet. The Detroit Tigers are loaded with talent, but the Toronto Blue Jays have one of the best staffs in the Majors. McGowan has pitched well this year despite his record, better than Bonderman. The Jays get a win.
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