Red Sox-Blue Jays Betting Preview: Will Sale Dominate as a Big Road Favorite?
Mark J. Rebilas. Pictured: Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale.
- Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox (-300) face the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday at the Rogers Centre (7:07 p.m. ET).
- In Sale's career on the road as a favorite of -200 or higher, his teams are 17-2, beating their opponents by 3.4 runs per game.
- We look at how bettors can take advantage of Sale as a big road favorite.
Betting odds: Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays
- Red Sox moneyline: -300
- Blue Jays moneyline: +245
- Over/Under: 9.5
- First pitch: 7:07 p.m. ET
>> All odds as of Wednesday morning. Download The Action Network App to get real-time MLB odds and track your bets
If this seems like a broken record, I assume you have to be an avid baseball betting fan because Chris Sale is once again a large favorite starting for the Red Sox this season.
For the sixth consecutive start, Sale will be listed as a favorite of -200 or higher, and for any other pitcher in baseball that would be a potentially career-defining moment. But for Sale, he actually did it last toward the end of last season.
In Sale’s career, the White Sox and Red Sox are 37-17 (68.5%) when he starts as a favorite of -200 or higher. One of the biggest edges for Sale is his record and margin on the road in this spot.
When Sale has been listed as a favorite of -200 or higher on the road, his teams are an impressive 17-2 (89.5%), beating their opponents by 3.4 runs per game.
In the Bet Labs database (dating back to 2005), Sale is the second-most profitable pitcher on the road as a favorite of -200 or higher, behind just Justin Verlander, who is 15-1 in this spot.
During the 2019 season, the Red Sox are 3-1 in this spot, with their only loss coming on the opening night of the season, losing 12-4 to the once-hot Mariners.
In its three games in this spot this season since the opening day loss, Boston is 3-0 and winning by 4.7 runs per game
On the road, against a divisional and familiar opponent in the Blue Jays, do you want to fade Chris Sale?
On the road against a divisional opponent as a favorite of -200 or higher, Sale is a dominating 10-0 with the home AL East team really struggling to score.
In eight of those 10 games, Boston’s opponent scored two runs or fewer and averaged just 1.7 runs per game in the 10 losses.
The biggest opportunity in this spot may be the run line. Overall, on the road as this big of a favorite, Sale’s team has won 15 of the 19 games by two or more runs, and against divisional opponents he has covered the run line in eight of his 10 starts.
Sale’s 15-4 record on the run line as a road favorite of -200 or higher is the most profitable mark in the Bet Labs database.