The Toronto Blue Jays (26-29) will host the Pittsburgh Pirates (26-30), Friday at 7:07 PM ET, in the first of a three-game series.
The Pirates are an underdog away (+147) at the Blue Jays (-175). The Toronto Blue Jays will give the start to Jose Berrios (5-4, 2.94 ERA), who is looking for win No. 6 on the season, and the Pirates will turn to Bailey Falter (3-2, 3.55 ERA).
The Blue Jays won their most recent contest versus the White Sox by a 3-1 score Friday, with Trevor Richards picking up the win pitching throwing 3 1/3 innings without giving up an earned run on one hit. George Springer went 1-for-3 with a double to lead them offensively.
Friday, the Pirates beat the Tigers 10-2. Paul Skenes was the winning pitcher after he went six innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits while striking out nine. Andrew McCutchen paced the Pirates’ offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI.
Before watching this Blue Jays vs. Pirates matchup, here’s what you need to know about Friday’s action on the diamond, including viewing options.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates odds and betting lines
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Friday at 3:16 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
- Favorite: Blue Jays (-175, bet $175 to win $100)
- Underdog: Pirates (+147, bet $100 to win $147)
- Over/under: 8.5
Blue Jays vs. Pirates: Live streaming info & game time
- Game Day: Friday, May 31, 2024
- Game Time: 7:07 PM ET
- Stadium: Rogers Centre
- TV Channel: SportsNet Pittsburgh
- Live Stream: Fubo (Watch for free)
Blue Jays stats and trends
Blue Jays betting records
- The Blue Jays have been favorites in 35 games this season and won 20 (57.1%) of those contests.
- Toronto has a record of 7-3, a 70% win rate, when favored by -175 or more by oddsmakers this season.
- Oddsmakers have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Blue Jays have a 63.6% chance to win.
- So far this season, Toronto and its opponents have hit the over in 23 of 55 games with a total.
- The Blue Jays are 26-28-0 ATS in their 54 games with a spread this season.
José Berríos (Blue Jays probable starter)
- Berrios (5-4 with a 2.94 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings pitched) makes the start for the Blue Jays, his 12th of the season.
- The righty’s last appearance came on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers, when he tossed seven innings, surrendering two earned runs while giving up seven hits.
- The 30-year-old has amassed a 2.94 ERA and 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings across 11 games this season, while giving up a batting average of .232 to his opponents.
- Berrios is trying to continue a third-game quality start streak in this matchup.
- Berrios will try to continue a four-game streak of pitching five or more innings (he’s averaging 6.1 frames per outing).
- He has held his opponents without an earned run in three of his 11 outings this season.
- He will face off against a Pirates offense that ranks 22nd in MLB with 435 total hits (on a .229 batting average). The squad also slugs a collective .359 (26th in MLB) with 52 total home runs (19th in MLB).
- The 30-year-old’s 2.94 ERA ranks 24th, 1.099 WHIP ranks 31st, and 7.1 K/9 ranks 66th among qualifying pitchers this season.
Blue Jays batting stats
- The Blue Jays’ 49 home runs rank 23rd in Major League Baseball.
- Fueled by 148 extra-base hits, Toronto ranks 20th in MLB with a .376 slugging percentage this season.
- The Blue Jays have a team batting average of .236 this season, which ranks 18th among MLB teams.
- Toronto ranks 25th in the majors with 220 total runs scored this season.
- The Blue Jays have an on-base percentage of .316 this season, which ranks seventh in the league.
- Toronto has shown patience at the plate this season with the second-best rate of strikeouts per game (7.1) among MLB offenses.
Pirates stats and trends
Pirates betting records
- The Pirates have won in 17, or 51.5%, of the 33 contests they have been named as odds-on underdogs this year.
- Pittsburgh has a mark of 2-2 in contests where bookmakers favor it by +147 or worse on the moneyline.
- The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Pirates have a 40.5% chance of coming away with a victory in the contest.
- Pittsburgh and its opponents have gone over the total this season in 28 of its 56 opportunities.
- In 55 games with a line this season, the Pirates have a mark of 29-26-0 against the spread.
Bailey Falter (Pirates probable starter)
- Falter (3-2) takes the mound first for the Pirates in his 11th start of the season. He has a 3.55 ERA in 58 1/3 innings pitched, with 33 strikeouts.
- The left-hander last appeared on Friday against the Atlanta Braves, when he tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs while giving up six hits.
- In 10 games this season, the 27-year-old has a 3.55 ERA and 5.1 strikeouts per nine innings, while giving up a batting average of .206 to opposing batters.
- Falter is trying to register his fourth quality start in a row in this matchup.
- Falter will try to extend a 10-game streak of going five or more innings (he’s averaging 5.8 frames per outing).
- He has made two appearances this season in which he did not give up an earned run.
- He will take the hill against a Blue Jays offense that is hitting .236 as a unit (18th in the MLB). They are also slugging a collective .376 (20th in the league) with 49 total home runs (23rd in MLB action).
- The 27-year-old’s 3.55 ERA ranks 49th, .977 WHIP ranks 10th, and 5.1 K/9 ranks 78th among qualifying pitchers this season.
Pirates batting stats
- The Pirates rank 19th in MLB action with 52 home runs. They average 0.9 per game.
- So far this year, Pittsburgh is slugging .359, the fifth-lowest percentage in baseball.
- The Pirates have the 25th-ranked batting average in the majors (.229).
- Pittsburgh scores the 22nd-most runs in baseball (224 total, 4.0 per game).
- The Pirates’ .302 on-base percentage ranks 25th in MLB.
