The Blue Jays’ Odds Moved from 25:1 to 16:1 at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas
The Major League Baseball trade deadline caused Las Vegas sportsbooks to move the line on several top contenders, none more so than the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 2015 MLB trade deadline was the most dramatic trading period in years. Several contenders were quite active in the trade scene. In fact, several non-contenders or marginal playoff teams added to their roster with major pieces, such as the Texas Rangers. The Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals, two teams not known for their activity at the trade deadline (except as sellers), added to the excitement with the trades which caused the biggest buzz.
After the latest slate of Major League Baseball trade deadline transactions, the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas moved the Toronto Blue Jays from 25-1 odds to 16-1 odds to win the 2015 World Series. The Blue Jays, who have the best offense in MLB baseball, acquired ace starter David Price from the Detroit Tigers and star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Avalanche.
Kansas City Royals Still the Favorites
Despite the biggest deadline trades for the Blue Jays in the past 20 years, the Jays are still not the favorites to win the World Series. The Westgate SuperBook still has the AL-leading Kansas City Royals as 7-2 favorites. The Royals traded for Cincinnati Reds reliever Johnny Cueto and Oakland A’s 3rd baseman Ben Zobrist before the deadline.
Toronto Clubhouse to Change
Josh Donaldson, the Blue Jays third baseman, discussed how the Toronto clubhouse is starting to fill up with star players. Donaldson said, “You look around the clubhouse, you’re going to see a lot of All-Stars. It feels like you’re almost playing fantasy baseball.”
Toronto’s manager John Gibbons told reporters, “By adding these two, it gives me a shot in the arm. I know that.”
Managers love to have stoppers in their starting lineup. A generation ago, “stopper” meant a closer in the bullpen. Now the term can also mean a starting pitcher who stops losing streaks. That’s what David Price gives John Gibbons–a veteran pitcher he can depend upon to win pivotal ballgames. Price was acquired to help in the playoffs, but the Blue Jays still face a tough test to make the postseason for the first time in years.
David Price and Troy Tulowitzki
David Price should have an easy transition to pitching before the Rogers Centre crowd. He is 7-0 with a 3.86 ERA in career starts in Toronto. He brings with him a reputation for pitching well in the playoffs for the Tampa Bay Rays and the Detroit Tigers.
Troy Tulowitzki joins the league’s best offense, adding strength to strength. He also brings defensive acumen to the shortstop position, which should help every pitcher on the staff. Tulowitzki is a 5-time All-Star, 2-time Silver Slugger, and 2-time Gold Glove winner. The only drawback to the new Toronto shortstop is his propensity for injuries, as he’s only averaged 117 starts per season since he broke into the majors in 2007.
The attitude each player brings to the team is also notable. Tulo said he felt “blindsided” by the trade from the Colorado Rockies, the team which drafted him in 2006 and thus the only MLB team he’d ever belonged to. David Price, on the other hand, joked on Twitter on the flattering size of the forearms on the Jays’ marketing poster for him, while saying he was excited to join the team. Reviews for the Toronto trades were positive, though noted for how much the team gave up to make things happen.
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals, meanwhile, were being praised for their deals to shore up needs and touted as the clear favorites. Johnny Cueto fills the team’s need at starter admirably. In 2012, he had 19 wins. In 2014, he had 20 wins. His 2.62 ERA in 2015 is the second-best of Cueto’s career, second only to the 2011 season, when he came 6 innings short of qualifying for the ERA title (and winning it).
Royals vs. Blue Jays Brawl
The two teams most active at the trade deadline capped off the week with a bench-clearing brawl. By coincidence, the Royals and Blue Jays had a series this weekend. Things began to get heated when Edinson Volquez hit Josh Donaldson with a pitch in the 1st inning, then the two had words as Donaldson walked down to 1st base. The Jays threw inside to Donaldson during his next two at-bats. He took exception to the third time he was thrown at, because it came after Troy Tulowitzki had been hit with a pitch on the hand (a no-no in baseball–broken hands hurt pennant chases).
When Blue Jays’ pitcher Aaron Sanchez hit Royals’ hitter Alcides Escobar with a pitch in a perfect time to waste a pitch in the 8th inning, the two benches cleared. Sanchez was ejected from the game for retaliating, while the two teams (through their local media members) had a war of words on Twitter after the game. This is the last time both teams would see one another in the regular season, so they would only play again if they match-up in the playoffs.
With the trades this week, that is a distinct possibility. In the series over the weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays took 3 of 4 games from the league-leading Royals.
