Weather for Blue Jays vs Angels Game – 5/8/25

Toronto Blue Jays

@

Los Angeles Angels

As the Los Angeles Angels prepare to host the Toronto Blue Jays on May 8, 2025, both teams find themselves struggling this season, with records of 15-20 and 16-20, respectively. Neither team is currently contending for a playoff spot, making this matchup crucial for both squads as they look to turn their seasons around. In their last encounter on May 7, the Angels edged the Blue Jays with a narrow 5-4 victory, providing a slight boost in confidence for Los Angeles.

The Angels will send Jose Soriano to the mound, a right-handed pitcher currently ranked as the 50th best starter in MLB according to the leading MLB projection system. Soriano has had an inconsistent year with a 2-4 record and a 3.83 ERA, though his last outing on May 2 was impressive, going 6 innings with no earned runs. However, he faces a Blue Jays offense that has been low on power, ranking 30th in MLB in home runs, which may favor his groundball-heavy style.

On the other side, Chris Bassitt will take the hill for Toronto. The right-hander boasts a solid 2-2 record and an excellent 2.95 ERA, ranking him 84th among starters. Bassitt’s ability to limit walks (4.2 BB%) could present a challenge for an Angels lineup that has struggled with patience at the plate, ranking 1st in MLB for the least walks.

With a Game Total currently set at 8.0 runs, betting markets suggest a closely contested game, reflected in the Angels’ moneyline of +115 and the Blue Jays’ at -135. The projections indicate that the Angels may have a chance to outperform their current implied team total of 3.77 runs, especially if their best hitter continues to build on a strong recent performance.

Toronto Blue Jays Insights

• Toronto Blue Jays – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-125)
  Chris Bassitt is an extreme flyball pitcher (34.3% FB% per the leading projection system, THE BAT) and will be disadvantaged pitching in the #7 HR venue among all major league stadiums in this game.
  Explain: This pitcher’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
• Anthony Santander – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+120/-155)
  Los Angeles’s #1-ranked outfield defense of the day poses a formidable challenge for Anthony Santander, who tends to hit a lot of flyballs.
  Explain: This player’s skill set matches up poorly with the opposing team’s defensive strength, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
• The Toronto Blue Jays (18.5 K% (according to the leading projection system, THE BAT X) are forecasted to have the least strikeout-prone team of batters on the slate today.
  Explain: THE BAT X analyzes each player in today’s specific lineup to figure out which teams have the least inherent strikeout potential for the opposing pitcher.

Los Angeles Angels Insights

• Jose Soriano – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-155/+120)
  Jose Soriano has used his four-seamer 6.6% less often this year (7.2%) than he did last season (13.8%).
  Explain: Fastballs are the one easiest pitches to hit and generate few strikeouts, so a pitcher who begins to use his fastball lessoften will likely be more effective than he used to be.
• Yoan Moncada – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-155/+120)
  Yoan Moncada is projected to bat 6th on the lineup card in this matchup, which would be a downgrade from his 67% rate of hitting in the top-half of the lineup this year.
  Explain: The lower in the order a player bats, the fewer plate appearances he will get and the fewer opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits lower in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting higher.
• Los Angeles Angels – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Los Angeles Angels’ bullpen projects as the 10th-best among all MLB teams.
  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.

Betting Trends

• Los Angeles Angels – Over/Under 1.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (-145/+115)
  The Los Angeles Angels have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 8 of their last 10 games (+6.43 Units / 57% ROI)
• Toronto Blue Jays – Over/Under 1.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (-155/+120)
  The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 9 of their last 11 away games (+7.45 Units / 58% ROI)
• Taylor Ward – Over/Under 1.5 Hits Runs and RBIs (-105/-125)
  Taylor Ward has hit the Hits Runs and RBIs Under in 15 of his last 20 games (+9.70 Units / 39% ROI)