MLB Predictions: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Atlanta Braves

The Toronto Blue Jays (23-30) and Atlanta Braves (31-21) will meet up in a interleague matchup Thursday night at Turner Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are 4-2 as home favorites of -125 to -150 this season

Toronto has won three of its last four games, including a 3-0 victory over Atlanta as +170 road underdogs Wednesday, while going UNDER the total for the first time in seven contests. “The name of the game was pitching on both sides,” commented Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “We scored those three early and they shut us down the rest of the way.” In 32 regular season games between these two teams, each side has come away with 16 wins. Toronto is 4-9 versus left-handed starters this season, with the OVER going 10-3 in that situation.

Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey (4-6, 4.85 ERA) had his personal two-game winning streak snapped last time out, as he suffered a 6-5 home loss to the Baltimore Orioles, allowing six runs and nine hits over 6.2 frames. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in four road efforts, with opposing hitters batting just .222 against him. In 13 career games (10 starts) versus the Braves, Dickey has compiled a 2-5 record and 5.15 ERA, including an 0-2 mark and 7.26 ERA in eight games (five starts) at this ballpark.

Atlanta has won seven of 10 games, with no clear edge in the betting total (5-5 Over/Under) in that span. The Braves are 29-6 when homering this season, while dropping 15 of 17 games when failing to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Offensively, the team is hoping that outfielder B.J. Upton can turn things around, as he enters this contest with a .148 batting average. Atlanta is 4-2 as home favorites of -125 to -150 this season, with the OVER cashing in four of those six affairs.

Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (6-2, 2.47 ERA) has led the squad to four consecutive victories, including a 6-0 road win over the New York Mets last time out, as he allowed three hits over 7.1 shutout frames. The left-hander is 1-1 with a 2.39 ERA in four home games, issuing two walks and striking out 25 batters in 26.1 combined innings. Minor came away with a 5-1 home victory over the Blue Jays in his only career start against them on June 21, 2011.