MLB Baseball
2026-06-17 - Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : Major League Baseball
Wednesday 17th June 2026 - Scheduled 6:45pm EST
11:45pm (British Time)
Preview
Two underachieving American League East teams continue the latest series against one another and time is beginning to run out on the Boston Red Sox (29-41) if they still want to show they are a team that could push for the Playoffs. The trade deadline is next month and the Red Sox will be a selling team on the current trajectory, which would be a big disappointment considering the expectations around the team entering 2026.
Last year the Red Sox finished with a winning record for the first time since 2021 and they were narrowly beaten in the American League Wild Card against rivals New York Yankees.
With that in mind, the expectation was that the team would take the next step in the Division and challenge for top spot, but it is has been a tough two months.
Boston were beaten on Tuesday night as they continue to host the Toronto Blue Jays (35-38) who were a couple of Outs away from winning the World Series last season. They were expected to run things back and use that experience to push them forward, but the Blue Jays have a very disappointing losing record and are 10 games behind American League East leading New York Yankees.
They will give the ball to veteran Max Scherzer, who showed some of his old spirit in the post-season run in 2025 having completed an up and down regular season. Max Scherzer has struggled out of the gate in 2026 and has a 1-4 record and 10.23 ERA in six starts made this season and the struggles have meant throwing just 22 Innings.
After a couple of rough starts in April, Max Scherzer was shut down to clear off a couple of injuries, but returned this month to allow five runs while failing to get out of the 4th Inning.
In his sole start against the Boston Red Sox in 2025, Max Scherzer allowed four runs in 5 Innings thrown, while picking up the decision loss.
The Red Sox are trying to find some consistency and they will hand the ball to a pitcher at the opposite end of his career compared with Max Scherzer when sending rookie Jake Bennett out onto the mound.
Jake Bennett has a 1-2 record and 5.28 ERA in three starts made for the Red Sox and the team are taking time with the rookie having taken him away from the Major Leagues after a couple of starts. He returned last week and Bennett allowed four runs in 5 Innings thrown against the Tampa Bay Rays, while also picking up his second decision loss.
This will be the first time Jake Bennett faces the Blue Jays, but will be encouraged by the fact Toronto have not hit as well against lefty pitchers.
It was the Boston Red Sox who took the first of the season series between these Divisional rivals, but it is Toronto who have won the last three in succession.
Prediction
Both starting pitchers have had issues on the mound and that could mean a high-scoring game is in the making in the middle of this latest series between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
Only one of the four games between the teams have finished above this total line set, but the starters could be tagged early and that may see the number surpassed again.
The Pick :
Boston Red Sox 5-6 Toronto Blue Jays
