Blue Jays vs Dodgers Matchup Preview and Game Analysis – 8/08/2025

Toronto Blue Jays

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Los Angeles Dodgers

As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to face the Toronto Blue Jays on August 8, 2025, at Dodger Stadium, both teams are enjoying strong seasons, with the Dodgers sitting at 66-49 and the Blue Jays at 68-48. This Interleague matchup is particularly intriguing, as it marks the first game of their series, and the Dodgers are looking to capitalize on their home-field advantage. The Dodgers enter the game as betting favorites with a moneyline of -150, reflecting a high implied team total of 4.87 runs.

Clayton Kershaw is expected to take the mound for the Dodgers. While Kershaw has had a solid season with a 3.29 ERA and a 5-2 record across 13 starts, his 4.37 xFIP suggests he may have been fortunate, indicating potential struggles ahead. He projects to pitch 5.0 innings, allowing an average of 2.8 earned runs, but his low strikeout rate of 15.4% could be a concern against a Blue Jays offense that ranks 1st in the league in fewest strikeouts.

On the other side, Max Scherzer is slated to start for Toronto. Scherzer has had a rocky season with a 4.39 ERA but boasts a solid 3.61 SIERA, hinting at better days to come. He is projected to allow 3.2 earned runs in 5.0 innings, but his propensity for fly balls (51% FB%) could be problematic against a power-laden Dodgers lineup that ranks 2nd in the league with 170 home runs.

Both teams feature potent offenses, with the Dodgers ranking 3rd overall and the Blue Jays leading at 1st. The projections favor the Dodgers, but the Blue Jays’ recent form, including a strong performance from their best hitter, adds to the competitive atmosphere of this matchup. With a game total set at 9.0 runs, fans can expect an exciting showdown.

Toronto Blue Jays Insights

• Max Scherzer – Over/Under 5.5 Strikeouts (+100/-130)
  The Los Angeles Dodgers have 6 hitters in the projected lineup that will have the handedness advantage over Max Scherzer in this game.
  Explain: Right-handed pitchers perform worse against left-handed hitters (and visa-versa). If several hitters hold this advantage against the pitcher, it can have a huge impact on whether he will perform well or struggle on any given day.
• Ernie Clement – Over/Under 1.5 Hits (+175/-230)
  Ernie Clement has primarily hit in the back-half of the batting order this season (81% of the time), but he is projected to bat 2nd in the lineup in this matchup.
  Explain: The higher in the order a player bats, the more plate appearances he will get and the more opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits higher in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting lower.
• Toronto Blue Jays – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen profiles as the 3rd-best out of all teams in the majors.
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.

Los Angeles Dodgers Insights

• Clayton Kershaw – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+125/-160)
  Clayton Kershaw’s 88.5-mph fastball velocity this year grades out in the 3rd percentile out of all starting pitchers.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• Freddie Freeman – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+110/-140)
  Freddie Freeman has been hot lately, raising his seasonal exit velocity of 91.4-mph to 98.4-mph over the last week.
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Max Muncy – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-150/+115)
  Today, Max Muncy is at a disadvantage facing the league’s 8th-deepest RF fences given that he hits his flyballs to the pull field at a 39.7% rate (98th percentile).
  Explain: This player’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• Over/Under 9.0 Game Total (+100/-120)
  The Los Angeles Dodgers have hit the Game Total Over in 34 of their last 59 games at home (+10.25 Units / 16% ROI)
• Over/Under 9.0 Game Total (+100/-120)
  The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 51 of their last 85 games (+19.00 Units / 20% ROI)
• Shohei Ohtani – Over/Under 0.5 Home Runs (+160/-210)
  Shohei Ohtani has hit the Home Runs Over in 6 of his last 8 games at home (+8.85 Units / 111% ROI)