<p>Two teams trending in opposite directions as of late meet when the Yankees and Blue Jays kick off a three-game AL East series Monday evening at the Jays' temporary home in Buffalo. How are we playing this game with our free <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/free-mlb-picks&quot; title="Free MLB Picks">MLB pick</a>?
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<h2>MLB Betting Odds</h2>
<p>Monday's <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/odds&quot; title="MLB Baseball Odds">MLB betting odds</a> opened Toronto and Ryu at around -140 over New York and Montgomery, with an over/under of nine runs. Both those figures were holding steady in the early betting action.
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<h2>Yankees vs. Blue Jays Set-Up </h2>
<p>Toronto just took three of five games from the Red Sox in Boston over the weekend, winning Sunday's series finale 10-8. Just before that, the Blue Jays split two games with Miami, and just before that, they took three of four from Baltimore. So Toronto is 8-4 over its last 12 games.
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<p>Meanwhile, New York just dropped three of four games in Baltimore over the weekend, losing Sunday's series finale 5-1. Just before that series, the Yanks lost a make-up game to the Mets, and just before that, they lost two of three games to Tampa Bay. So New York is only 2-5 over its last seven games.
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<p>At 22-18 overall, Toronto now occupies second place in the AL East, 5.5 games behind first-place Tampa Bay. And second place is good for a playoff spot this season.
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<p>At 21-19 overall, New York sits in third place in the AL East, one game behind the Blue Jays. But the Yanks also own the No. 8 spot in the American League standings, which this season is also suitable for a playoff spot.
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<p>This series is the first meeting between these teams this season.
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<h2>Monday's Starting Arms</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/48084&quot; title="Hyun Jin Ryu Pitching Logs">Lefty Ryu</a> is 4/8 on quality starts this season, but he's been even better than that lately. Last Wednesday, he held Miami to one run and five hits through six innings of a 2-1 Toronto win. And over his last six starts, he's allowed just six runs – five earned – and 23 hits through 34 innings, with 39 strikeouts against eight walks.
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<p>For the season, the Blue Jays are 6-2 with Ryu, with the totals splitting 3-3-2.
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<p>In his most recent start against the Yankees, last August, while he was still with the Dodgers, Ryu got clipped for seven runs through 4 1/3 innings of a 10-2 Los Angeles loss.
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<p>Fellow <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/116017&quot; title="Jordan Montgomery Pitching Stats">southpaw Montgomery</a> is just 1/6 on quality starts this season. Last Wednesday, he couldn't get out of the first inning against Tampa Bay, giving up four runs on five hits, including a couple of homers, while getting just two outs in a 5-2 Yanks defeat. But in his two starts previous to that, he limited the Mets and Red Sox to four runs – three earned – and eight hits through 8 2/3 innings.
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<p>On the season, New York is 3-3 with Montgomery, with the unders going 3-2-1.
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<p>In his last start against Toronto, back in April of 2018, Montgomery allowed just one run through six innings of a 9-1 Yankees win.
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<h2>Monday's Batting Splits </h2>
<p>New York is batting just .216 this season against left-handed pitching, with a .302 team OBP and a .388 team slugging percentage. This lineup is also still operating without Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
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<p>Toronto is batting .266/.335/.437 against left-handed pitching this season. But the Jays might be without OF Teoscar Hernandez (14 HR this year), who's dealing with sore ribs.
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<h2>The Bullpens</h2>
<p>The Yankees bullpen owns a 4.21 ERA this season and a 1.31 WHIP, along with a 2.39 K/BB ratio.
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<p>The Blue Jays pen owns a 3.22 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP along with a 2.16 K/BB ratio.
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<p><section></p>
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><b><span style="color:#008000;">Get more details:</span></b> <a class="advblue" href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/matchup/1266720">Yankees vs. Jays MLB Match-up Stats</a> </span>
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</ul>
<p></section></p>
<h2>MLB Betting Trends</h2>
<ul>
<li>New York is 8-12 on the road this season.</li>
<li>Toronto is 8-8 at "home" this season.</li>
<li>New York is 3-5 against left-handed starters this season.</li>
<li>Toronto is 7-7 vs. LH starters this season.</li>
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<h2>Totals Report</h2>
<ul>
<li>Totals are split 18-18 in Yankees games this season.</li>
<li>Unders are 20-17 in Blue Jays games this season.</li>
<li>Overs are 9-6 in games played at Sahlen Field this season.</li>
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