The Toronto Blue Jays host the Detroit Tigers for the second game of their first series back from the all-star break.
The pregame narrative: Detroit holds a slight pitching edge in this contest and I'll happily back the team as run-line underdogs. The over seems like a solid wager with the Tigers' offence firing on all cylinders. That goes hand-in-hand with a short outing from a struggling Yusei Kikuchi.
Check out our Tigers vs. Blue Jays same-game parlay for July 20 below.
Tigers vs. Blue Jays same-game parlay
Parlay: Tigers +1.5 + Over 7.5 runs + Kikuchi under 16.5 outs (+270)
Tigers +1.5 (-195): Detroit is a +117 underdog in this game. I'm thinking that's good value.
A little cushion doesn't hurt in this parlay, however, and that's why I'm targeting the squad on the run line.
The Tigers have been a very good wager in this spot all season long. They're 23-14 as an away underdog on the run line this year.
They've cashed this wager in 11 consecutive games ahead of this one.
Reese Olson draws the start and he's been excellent in 2024. The righty has a 3.30 ERA and a 3.07 FIP while the Tigers have covered this mark in his last five starts.
Toronto, meanwhile, has been one of the biggest disappointments this season which explains its struggles as a home favourite. The Blue Jays are an abysmal 11-20 in that scenario this season.
They've failed to cover this mark in 13 of their last 15 contests overall.
Other parlay picks
Over 7.5 runs (-125): Detroit's surging offence is why I'm confident in the over.
The Tigers are averaging 6.58 runs per game over their last seven contests. They've scored at least five runs in five of those games and are receiving key contributions from their top stars.
Colt Keith has a 1.124 OPS and Riley Greene boasts a 1.055 OPS across their last seven outings, serving as the catalysts for this group's success.
Detroit has topped this mark in five of its last seven outings.
Toronto's offence has struggled this season but it's currently having no issues crossing the plate. The unit is averaging 5.3 runs per game across its last six games.
The Blue Jays have gone over this total in eight of their last nine contests.
Kikuchi under 16.5 outs (-114): Kikuchi's recent results shouldn't set lofty expectations for bettors.
The southpaw has struggled over his last six starts. He pairs a 7.53 ERA with a 5.23 FIP during this stretch while opposing hitters feast to a .300 batting average and .902 OPS.
Naturally, these kind of numbers haven't lent themselves to long outings. He's finished below this mark in five of his last seven starts and seven of his last 10.
Picks as of 10:56 a.m. on 07/20/2024.
