Toronto's in freefall and San Francisco just torched them 10-1 — but Wednesday's pitching matchup is the one thing keeping this series interesting.
Bush’s Picks
TORSF
TORSF
OverUnder
Best BetBlue Jays
Toronto's collapse over the last week is ugly, but this pick was made on Cease, not the lineup around him — and he's been one of the best pitchers in baseball since the calendar flipped. San Francisco just torched a shaky Blue Jays staff, but Cease isn't the guy who got beat up in that series. Stick with the ace.
Blue Jays
+Cease among MLB's best arms this year
+Still holds AL's final wild-card spot
+Front office expected to buy at deadline
−Outscored badly over last three games
−Set franchise record for futility at the plate
−Bullpen overworked, key relievers already out
Giants
+Webb was NL Pitcher of the Month in June
+Won two of last three, including blowout of Toronto
+Deadline flexibility if they move rentals
−Webb's last start was a career-worst disaster
−15 games under .500, well out of contention
−Chapman hurt right as trade value mattered most
Dylan Cease has been the best thing about Toronto's season, and Logan Webb has been the Giants' best story for most of it — right up until his last time out. Cease draws San Francisco on Wednesday, July 8, looking to keep a dominant year rolling, while Webb tries to shake off the worst start of his season before it becomes a trend.
Toronto's lineup is banged up in the outfield with Addison Barger, Jesus Sanchez and Anthony Santander all out, and the bullpen is stretched thin behind an offense that's gone cold at the worst time. San Francisco isn't much healthier — Matt Chapman's abdominal strain knocked him out right as trade buzz around him was heating up, and Daniel Susac and Harrison Bader are both still working back.
Show fees
12:45 PM PT
Spread
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TOR Blue Jays
SF Giants
Both front offices are staring at the same calendar. Toronto's still clinging to a wild-card spot and looking to buy before August, while San Francisco is 15 games under .500 and reportedly fielding calls on some of its bigger names. That backdrop matters more than any line movement here.
Toronto Blue Jays
Jul 7?@ Giants—
San Francisco Giants
Jul 7?vs Blue Jays—
Recent form.
The recent form tells two different stories. Toronto has been outscored badly over its last three games and just set an ugly franchise mark for futility at the plate, while San Francisco has won two of its last three and is coming off that blowout of the Blue Jays. Momentum, for whatever it's worth in a pitching matchup like this, sits with the home team.
Toronto Blue Jays
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
San Francisco Giants
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Neither team is playing for much beyond pride and roster evaluation at this point, but Cease gives Toronto a puncher's chance in every start he makes, and that's reason enough to tune in for the middle innings even if the standings say otherwise.
