MLB Picks: Cleveland Indians vs. Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are 7-2 when avenging two straight losses versus an opponent as a home favorite since 2011. This is important to consider when making your MLB picks Thursday, as they prepare to take on the Cleveland Indians at the Rogers Centre.

Sports bettors will find that the Blue Jays are -160 home favorites in the pro baseball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at nine in the betting market.

Let's take a closer look at this American League matchup from a betting perspective, while offering up a pick along the way.

Cleveland Indians

The Cleveland Indians haven't won their first three games of a season since 1998, as they come off a 3-2 road victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday night.

Over the last two-plus seasons, the Indians have compiled a 31-17 record, with the UNDER going 25-22-1 in that situation.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have scored just three runs in their first two games this season, but they've still won seven of their last 11 games against the Cleveland Indians.

Sports bettors will find that the Blue Jays are 1-6 in their last seven games as a home favorite of minus-151 to minus-200.

Blue Jays starting pitcher Mark Buehrle is 1-4 with a 2.91 ERA in six career starts at the Rogers Centre, with each of those efforts coming during his time with the Chicago White Sox.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Toronto Blue Jays in the first five innings of this contest, as the home team is 53-17 in umpire Lance Barksdale's last 70 home plate assignments.

MLB Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -165 First Five Innings

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