MLB Picks and best odds: Baltimore ( ) vs Toronto ( ) - Orioles can overcome jaded Blue Jays on Friday

Our expert MLB handicapper John Lepore looks ahead to Friday night's clash between the Orioles and the Blue Jays live on Apple TV and believes Baltimore will have too much for a tired Toronto pitching unit...

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman

Adley Rutschman sports a 4.5 WAR and has slashed .254/.361/.446 with 10 home runs and 30 doubles in just 93 games © Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

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John Lepore

MLB Betting Expert

John is a respected MLB analyst, author and handicapper who has over 10 years' experience of betting big on baseball.

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MLB expert picks: Baltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays (Friday, September 16: 7.00 EDT)

FixtureBaltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays
WhenFriday, September 16, 7:00 EDT
Likely StartersAustin Voth vs. Trevor Richards
Where to watchApple TV

Orioles at Blue Jays - a battle for AL Wild Card spot?

As we head into the final 20 games of the season, the Baltimore Orioles are surprisingly still in playoff contention. When June ended the O’s were 35-42 and looked to be a year or two away from contending in the American League race. However, they have gone 39-25 since then and sit just five games out of a Wild Card spot and can be backed at to make the postseason. The Toronto Blue Jays currently hold a playoff spot and are currently to win the AL East, but Baltimore is the closest threat to that position. This series is a big one in the AL.

The Orioles will send Austin Voth to the mound Friday night. He was put on waivers by the Washington Nationals after a dismal 10.13 ERA in 19 appearances for them to begin the season. Baltimore picked him up and he has been solid with a 4-2 record and a 2.82 ERA. The right-hander doesn’t light up the radar gun, but he has added a cutter to his repertoire which has done wonders for him.

The Blue Jays will open with Trevor Richards and likely employ bullpen arms the rest of the way. The Orioles employed this tactic on Sunday against the Texas Rangers. Richards didn’t make it out of the first inning and former starter Yusei Kikuchi gave up a couple of runs. Friday will mark Toronto’s 16th game in 15 days. Their bullpen may be getting a bit tired.

Orioles player to watch: Adley Rutschman

Rutschman is a frontrunner to win the AL Rookie of the Year award ( ). He sports a 4.5 WAR and has slashed .254/.361/.446 with 10 home runs and 30 doubles in just 93 games. He hit a bit of a slump recently, but he didn’t start on Sunday and was off on Monday. He returned on Tuesday well-rested and went 2-for-4 with a walk and a double. This kid is the future of the Orioles and has started his career off looking like a veteran.

Blue Jays player to watch: Alejandro Kirk

After part-time work the past two seasons, Kirk got the starting spot this year and has been an integral part of Toronto’s lineup. The young catcher is slashing .295/.379/.432 with 13 home runs. Kirk is one of only six players in the majors with more walks than strikeouts (56-52). While his better-known teammates get most of the attention, the 23-year-old just keeps on raking.

Baltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays conclusion and prediction

Baltimore is the upstart team this year, but they may run out of time to make a serious push for the playoffs. They have some very good young stars and are certainly building something for the future. The Blue Jays are built to win now. However, going with an opener and a bunch of bullpen guys may not work out. They have played a ton of games recently, and the Orioles should take advantage of a weary pen.

MLB Picks:

- Orioles @ - Over 8.5 runs @

MLB quick picks for Friday, September 16:

- Rockies on the moneyline vs the Cubs @

- Marlins @ Nationals over 7.5 runs @

- Rangers on the moneyline vs the Rays @

MLB
7/18/2023, 10:40 PM
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
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7/18/2023, 11:05 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Baltimore
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Cleveland
Cleveland @
Pittsburgh
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7/18/2023, 11:07 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Toronto
Toronto
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:10 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
NY Mets
NY Mets
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:20 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Atlanta
Atlanta
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:45 PM
Miami
Miami @
St. Louis
St. Louis
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:05 AM
Washington
Washington @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:05 AM
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:10 AM
Detroit
Detroit @
Kansas City
Kansas City
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:40 AM
Houston
Houston @
Colorado
Colorado
MLB
7/19/2023, 1:38 AM
NY Yankees
NY Yankees @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/19/2023, 1:40 AM
Boston
Boston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/19/2023, 1:40 AM
Minnesota
Minnesota @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/19/2023, 4:35 PM
Cleveland
Cleveland @
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
MLB
7/19/2023, 5:05 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Baltimore
Baltimore
MLB
7/19/2023, 6:05 PM
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/19/2023, 6:15 PM
Miami
Miami @
St. Louis
St. Louis
MLB
7/19/2023, 7:10 PM
Houston
Houston @
Colorado
Colorado
MLB
7/19/2023, 7:37 PM
Boston
Boston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/19/2023, 10:40 PM
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:07 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Toronto
Toronto
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:07 PM
NY Yankees
NY Yankees @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
NY Mets
NY Mets
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:10 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:20 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Atlanta
Atlanta
MLB
7/20/2023, 12:05 AM
Washington
Washington @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/20/2023, 12:10 AM
Detroit
Detroit @
Kansas City
Kansas City
MLB
7/20/2023, 1:40 AM
Minnesota
Minnesota @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/20/2023, 4:20 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Atlanta
Atlanta
MLB
7/20/2023, 4:35 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/20/2023, 4:35 PM
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
MLB
7/20/2023, 5:07 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Toronto
Toronto
MLB
7/20/2023, 5:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
NY Mets
NY Mets
MLB
7/20/2023, 6:10 PM
Detroit
Detroit @
Kansas City
Kansas City
MLB
7/20/2023, 7:40 PM
Minnesota
Minnesota @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/20/2023, 10:40 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/21/2023, 12:05 AM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/21/2023, 1:40 AM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/21/2023, 6:20 PM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/21/2023, 10:40 PM
Colorado
Colorado @
Miami
Miami
MLB
7/21/2023, 10:40 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/21/2023, 10:40 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:05 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Washington
Washington
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:05 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
NY Yankees
NY Yankees
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:10 PM
Philadelphia
Philadelphia @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:10 PM
NY Mets
NY Mets @
Boston
Boston
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:10 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/22/2023, 12:05 AM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/22/2023, 12:10 AM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
Minnesota
Minnesota
MLB
7/22/2023, 12:10 AM
Atlanta
Atlanta @
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
MLB
7/22/2023, 1:38 AM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/22/2023, 1:40 AM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/22/2023, 2:10 AM
Toronto
Toronto @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/22/2023, 5:05 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
NY Yankees
NY Yankees
MLB
7/22/2023, 5:10 PM
Colorado
Colorado @
Miami
Miami
MLB
7/22/2023, 6:20 PM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:05 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
NY Mets
NY Mets @
Boston
Boston
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
Toronto
Toronto @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/22/2023, 10:10 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:05 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Washington
Washington
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:10 PM
Philadelphia
Philadelphia @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:15 PM
Atlanta
Atlanta @
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:15 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
Minnesota
Minnesota
MLB
7/23/2023, 1:07 AM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/23/2023, 1:07 AM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/23/2023, 4:05 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:35 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
NY Yankees
NY Yankees
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:35 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Washington
Washington
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Philadelphia
Philadelphia @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Colorado
Colorado @
Miami
Miami
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:10 PM
Atlanta
Atlanta @
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
Minnesota
Minnesota
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:20 PM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:35 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/23/2023, 8:07 PM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/23/2023, 8:07 PM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/23/2023, 8:10 PM
Toronto
Toronto @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/23/2023, 11:10 PM
NY Mets
NY Mets @
Boston
Boston
MLB
7/24/2023, 5:10 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/24/2023, 11:10 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/25/2023, 12:10 AM
Texas
Texas @
Houston
Houston
MLB
7/25/2023, 1:40 AM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
San Diego
San Diego
MLB
7/25/2023, 1:40 AM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Arizona
Arizona
MLB
7/25/2023, 2:10 AM
Toronto
Toronto @
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers

Last updated: Jul 18, 2:05 PM UTC

MLB Odds

Moneyline
Run Line
Total
Odds Settings
Game
Jul 17, 23 @ 11:10 PM UTC
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
Jul 18, 23 @ 10:40 PM UTC
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Jul 18, 23 @ 11:05 PM UTC
Cleveland
Cleveland @
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Jul 18, 23 @ 11:05 PM UTC
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Baltimore
Baltimore

Odds updated: Jul 18, 2:08 PM UTC