MLB Baseball
2025-09-21 - Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : MLB Baseball
Sunday 21st August 2025 - Scheduled 2:10pm
7:10pm (British Time)
Preview
To say the Major League Pick from Friday night got things a little wrong would be a huge understatement after the Toronto Blue Jays (89-66) were crushed by the Kansas City Royals (78-77) in the first of this three game set. The 20-1 loss was followed by another Royals win on Saturday, which keeps Kansas City mathematically alive as far as the post-season is concerned.
More of a factor is the two losses suffered by the Blue Jays that has seen their lead at the top of the American League East dwindle to just 2 games.
Even more problematic is that the Toronto Blue Jays are about to embark on a series with the Boston Red Sox, another team chasing Wild Card spots into the post-season, and the pressure has been building. The batting lineup have gone cold at a bad time with a combined three runs scored in the last four games, all ending in defeat, and it also means pressure on the rookie pitcher going to the mound for just his second Major League start.
Toronto have plenty of confidence in Trey Yesavage and he did throw 5 Innings and allow a single run in his debut, but they need runs to win games no matter what the youngster can offer.
That means attacking Kansas City starter Michael Wacha who has a 9-12 record and 3.79 ERA in twenty-nine starts made for the team this season. However, Wacha will be looking to bounce back from a difficult start when he was roughed up by the Seattle Mariners and the veteran has allowed at least three runs in three of his last four starts.
He has picked up the decision loss in each of those outings, but Michael Wacha did throw 8 Innings against the Toronto Blue Jays last month and restricted them to a single run. Michael Wacha's career record improved to 2-2 with a 4.47 ERA in nine appearances against the Toronto Blue Jays and eight of those have been in starts.
The encouragement for the pitcher has to be the way the Royals have been batting in this series, considering it is the plate work that has let them down in 2025.
Wins in the first two games of this three game set also means Kansas City have continued to dominate the Blue Jays with six wins in the last seven games, including taking four of five games played this season.
Prediction
With the Yankees starting earlier than the Toronto Blue Jays, the scoreboard pressure could really tell in this game.
Rookie Trey Yesavage can give his team a chance, but Toronto have been struggling at the plate and did the same when facing Michael Wacha last month.
The veteran has not been at his best over the last three weeks, but he might be able to keep the score competitive early and this could be the second game in a row in this series that fails to surpass the total set.
The Pick :
Kansas City Royals 3-2 Toronto Blue Jays
