The Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros will play the rubber game of their 3-game set in a matinée today at Rogers Centre. Toronto holds a 3-game lead over the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox for the top spot in the AL East and Houston is leading the AL West by one game over the Seattle Mariners, so this is a big game for both sides. Toronto will send lefty Kevin Gausman to the hill. Gausman is 9-10 with a 3.63 ERA, an excellent WHIP of just 1.02, and usually wins in Toronto. Houston is expected to have Cristian Javier toeing the rubber and he has been sketchy at best. Javier is 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and lasted just 4.1 innings in his last start against the New York Yankees, yielding 6 hits and 4 runs with the Astros losing 8-4. The Blue Jays are 46-25 at home, they lead the league in hits per game and average 5 runs per game so expect an early exit for Javier.
TODAY’S PICK: TORONTO BLUE JAYS