The Toronto Blue Jays (45-44) and New York Yankees (54-34) will open up a three-game American League East series on Monday night at Yankee Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 ET

Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees

Toronto has won three of its last four games, including a 3-0 shutout victory over the Cleveland Indians to finish off a short three-game homestand.  The Blue Jays will now try and end a five-game losing streak in the Bronx, but they have won both meetings in the season series thus far.  It’s definitely strange that these division rivals haven’t met in the Big Apple this season, but they will play each other two more times at Yankee Stadium after this series.  Toronto is 0-3 as a road underdog of +150 to +175, with the “over” cashing in two of those contests.

Blue Jays starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez (5-7, 4.36 ERA) had his two-game win streak snapped in a 9-6 home loss to the Kansas City Royals last time out, giving up five runs and eight hits over 5.1 innings.  The right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA in seven road outings, issuing 11 walks and striking out 11 batters in 44.2 combined frames.  Alvarez didn’t factor into the decision of a 7-6 home setback to the Yankees in his only career start against them, allowing five runs and nine hits over six innings.

New York nearly swept the Los Angeles Angels in a three-game set, but came up empty on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 10-8 decision.  “It’s not weird when you give up 10 runs, but it is kind of strange that you hit four home runs and you don’t win the game,” stated Yankees manager Joe Girardi.  The Yankees lead the majors in home runs this season, which should make for an important matchup in this series, considering the Blue Jays are second in that category.  New York is 42-21 as a home favorite of -150 to -175 the last two-plus seasons.

Yankees starting pitcher Phil Hughes (9-7, 4.33 ERA) has won five of his last seven outings, but was handed a 9-5 road loss to the Boston Red Sox in his last effort, allowing five runs (three earned) and 10 hits over 5.1 innings.  The right-hander is 6-3 with a 4.12 ERA in nine home outings, issuing 12 walks and striking out 50 batters in 54.2 frames.  In 18 career games (11 starts) versus the Blue Jays, Hughes has tallied a 3-4 record and 4.57 ERA, including a 4-1 road loss on May 17.

Sports bettors will likely back the Blue Jays due to their 4-1 record in the last five meetings, while the Yankees are 1-4 in Hughes last five outings with eight or more days of rest.

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