Baltimore Orioles vs. Toronto Blue Jays Pick & Prediction AUGUST 6th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays, is determined to prolong his 17-game hitting streak on Tuesday night as his team faces off against the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a three-game series at home.

Despite Guerrero's impressive hitting abilities, the Blue Jays have struggled to find success on the road, finishing their recent seven-game trip with a 2-5 record after a 4-3, 10-inning loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday.

During Sunday's game, Guerrero went 1-for-5 with a double, maintaining his impressive .500 batting average (32-for-64) since the start of his streak on July 14. He has also hit nine home runs, 10 doubles, and driven in 18 runs during this time, but unfortunately, the team has only managed to win eight out of their 17 games.

According to Toronto manager John Schneider, Guerrero has reached a point in his career where he fully understands his capabilities as a player, which is the final step in becoming a truly great player.

The Orioles, who won three out of four games against the Blue Jays last week, followed by a split series against the Cleveland Guardians, are currently on a 10-game road trip.

With the departure of Justin Turner at the trade deadline, Guerrero has had to shoulder even more of the offensive load for the Blue Jays, who made several trades during this time.

For the season, Guerrero has maintained an impressive .316 batting average with 22 home runs and 72 RBIs.

Guerrero himself attributes his success to his confidence, stating that it is the key factor in his performance on the field. He believes that as long as he maintains his confidence, he will continue to perform at his best.

According to Schneider, Guerrero sets goals for himself every year, both for the team and for his individual performance. And if he continues to play the way he has been in the past month, he will likely achieve those goals, even if the team as a whole may not.

On Tuesday, the Blue Jays are set to start right-hander Chris Bassitt (8-10, 4.02 ERA), who has a career record of 3-3 with a 5.45 ERA against the Orioles. However, in his last start against them on Tuesday, he struggled, allowing five runs on nine hits in just four innings.

The Orioles, on the other hand, will start right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (13-4, 3.86 ERA), who earned a win against the Blue Jays last Wednesday, allowing four runs (three earned) and six hits over six innings. In his five career starts against Toronto, he has a record of 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA, with both wins coming this season.

After splitting their series against the Guardians, the Orioles remain tied for the lead in the American League East with the Yankees. In Sunday's 9-5 win, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday hit home runs for Baltimore.

Holliday, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk last week, has been on a hot streak since his return, going 7-for-18 with two home runs and seven RBIs in just five games. This is a significant improvement from his performance earlier in the season, where he struggled with a 2-for-34 record and 18 strikeouts in 10 games before being demoted.

According to Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, Holliday's confidence has grown since his return, and he has shown significant improvement in his ability to make contact with the ball. While he may still experience some ups and downs as a young player, his performance in this series has been impressive.

PREDICTION

Baltimore Orioles

5

4

Toronto Blue Jays

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