Toronto Blue Jays vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 4/5/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Toronto Blue Jays vs Texas Rangers

Date: Monday, April 5, 2021

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Toronto (-182) Texas (+120)

Steven Matz and the Toronto Blue Jays (1-1, 4th in AL East) are headed to Globe Life Field on Monday where they'll take on the Texas Rangers (0-2, 4th in AL West). The Blue Jays open this game at -182 while the Rangers are priced at +120. The over/under opens at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Steven Matz and Mike Foltynewicz.

The Blue Jays accumulated 104 two-baggers as a squad last year and knocked 88 baseballs out of the stadium. Toronto had a slugging percentage of .441 and were called out on strikes 508 times, while taking a walk on 203 occasions. As a squad, the Toronto Blue Jays knocked in 5.0 runs per contest, which ranked them 7th in the league. They accounted for 288 RBI's in addition to 516 hits for the previous season, and their batting average was .255. They earned 302 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .325.

Blue Jays pitchers gave up 81 home runs and 312 runs in total (6th in baseball). Their pitching staff walked 250 opposing hitters and their FIP was 4.73 as a squad over the course of last season. They had a K/BB ratio of 2.08 and the pitching staff recorded a WHIP of 1.46. The Blue Jays had an ERA of 4.60 last season (17th in the league), and their staff rung up 519 batters. Blue Jays bullpen pitchers entered the contest with runners on base in 76 contests in addition to 87 games with high leverage. The relief pitchers had 35 holds for the prior year (9th in MLB). The Blue Jays relief pitchers had a save percentage of 58.6% and stepped onto the mound in 67 save situations. They had 17 saves over the course of the prior season and did not convert 12 out of their 29 save opportunities. The bullpen inherited 129 base runners in the previous season and 26.4% of those players ended up crossing the plate. The Blue Jays had dispatched 226 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of last year.

Steven Matz surrendered 42 base hits in 30.2 innings he pitched throughout last year. His ERA was at 9.68 and he fanned 36 hitters. He allowed 33 earned runs last year with a K/BB ratio of 3.6. He conceded 12.3 hits per nine innings and he had a WHIP of 1.696. Matz held a FIP of 7.76 and his ERA+ was 45. Matz (31-41 mark in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 4.49 and he has gone up against 2,481 batters in the majors. He has allowed 585 hits (9.1 hits per nine innings) and has had 180 free passes. His earned run average is 4.35 (280 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.320. Matz has pitched in 579 frames and has earned 552 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career.

The Texas Rangers accumulated an OBP of .285 as well as a batting average of .217 over the course of last season. They were called out on strikes on 548 occasions (7th in the league) and tallied 420 base hits. Texas hit 62 home runs over the course of last year and 204 RBIs. The Rangers had a slugging percentage of .364 and they tallied 3.73 runs per contest (29th in MLB). They hit 80 doubles, while taking a walk 167 times as well as racking up 224 runs.

The Rangers finished with a team WHIP of 1.385 and had a FIP of 4.88 as a unit during the previous year. They were sitting at 15th in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 479. The Texas pitching staff conceded 312 runs last season while holding a team ERA of 5.02 (288 earned runs conceded). Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.07 (489 strikeouts against 236 free passes). They conceded 81 homers and they allowed 5.44 runs per 9 innings (25th in the league). Texas had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 36 save situations and they walked away with 10 saves. They were sitting at 25th in baseball holding a save rate of 52.6%, and they sent 204 relievers to the hill last year. Their bullpen pitchers took the field in 41 games with high leverage in addition to 50 games with runners on. Texas relievers held an inherited score percentage of 33.0% of 95 inherited runners. Finishing with 19 save opportunities, the Rangers earned 15 holds and 9 blown saves.

Foltynewicz allowed 4 total base hits while surrendering 6 ER's (16.20 ERA). His WHIP was at 2.40 and he had a FIP of 16.69 over the course of last season. He took the hill for 3.1 innings last year while surrendering 10.8 H/9 (hits per 9 innings). Foltynewicz had a K/BB ratio of 0.8 with 3 total strikeouts and an ERA+ of 33. Foltynewicz (44-42 win-loss record in his career) has a 4.33 earned run average while conceding 8.8 hits per 9 innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.74 and he has gone up against 2,951 batters in his career. He has allowed 330 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.328 and a FIP of 4.3. So far in his career, Foltynewicz has surrendered 672 base hits while totaling 655 strikeouts in 686 frames.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Texas (+120)

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