Kansas City Royals vs Toronto Blue Jays Game 1 MLB Picks, Odds, Predictions 4/17/21

The Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals meet Saturday in game one of an MLB doubleheader at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium.  

The Toronto Blue Jays look for a win after splitting their last six games. The Blue Jays have scored 17 runs in their last three games and four or more runs in five of their last seven games. The Blue Jays have won four of their last seven games when scoring four or more runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads the Blue Jays with 19 hits and 10 RBI while Bo Bichette and Randal Grichuk have combined for 29 hits and 20 RBI. Robbie Ray gets the ball, and he is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA and three strikeouts this season. This will be Ray’s second career game against the Royals.

The Kansas City Royals look for a win after winning four of their last five games. The Royals have scored 16 runs in their last three games and three or less runs in six of their last nine games. The Royals have lost four of their last six games when scoring three or less runs. Whit Merrifield leads the Royals with 15 hits and 11 RBI while Salvador Perez and Michael A. Taylor have combined for 25 hits and 14 RBI. Mike Minor gets the ball, and he is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and nine strikeouts this season. Minor is 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 35 strikeouts in his career against the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays are 4-1 in their last 5 opening games of a double-header and 1-5 in their last 6 games following an off day. The Royals are 13-4 in their last 17 home games and 4-1 in their last 5 overall. The under is 4-0 in Blue Jays last 4 games following an off day. The under is 6-1 in Royals last 7 games as an underdog. The Blue Jays are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Kansas City and 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

The Toronto Blue Jays are the better team here and have a red hot offense entering this series, but I don’t love Robbie Ray on the mound and he’s not somebody I’m thrilled to lay juice with. The Kansas City Royals offense has cooled off big time this week, but Minor is probably the better starting pitcher in this spot and he’s holding current Blue Jays hitters to a .114 batting average in 38 at bats. Give me the home team and plus money.