Athletics vs. Toronto Blue Jays Picks and Prediction for Saturday, March 28, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Athletics meet the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, March 28. First pitch is set for 3:07 p.m. ET with coverage on MLB.TV. The pitching matchup features Jeffrey Springs for the Athletics against Dylan Cease for Toronto. The two opened the regular season on Friday, but the game was not completed before this article was written. Both clubs showed offense across the last five games of spring training, with Toronto posting three wins and the Athletics going 2-2-1. Check out our free MLB picks.
Athletics Offense Has Some Proven Pop
The Athletics enter this matchup off a wild 10-9 win over the White Sox, a result that fits the recent form of a club that has played in several high-scoring games. Over the last five results, the Athletics beat the White Sox 10-9, lost to Colorado 6-5, tied the Dodgers 5-5, beat the Cubs 6-2, and lost to Seattle 6-4. That stretch shows a lineup capable of putting runs on the board, but it also shows a pitching staff that has had trouble keeping games under control. Four of those five games saw the Athletics allow at least five runs, and that matters against a Toronto lineup that just scored 14 in its most recent spring training game.
The Athletics have a few key players returning from the 2025 season. Brent Rooker remained one of the club’s best hitters, Shea Langeliers posted a 3.9 fWAR and 132 wRC+, and Nick Kurtz delivered a huge rookie year with a .290/.383/.619 slash line, a 1.002 OPS, 36 home runs, and a 170 wRC+ in 117 games. Kurtz gives the Athletics a real middle-of-the-order threat, and that matters when backing this team in any game where the offense may need to carry a large share of the load. The bigger concern here is that Jeffrey Springs and how he will carry the load as the ace and the Athletics staff around him remains more of a question mark based on the recent game results.
Injuries: Ben Bowden, RP, Day-To-Day. Gunnar Hoglund, SP, 15-Day IL.
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Blue Jays Bats Look Ready for the Opener
The Toronto Blue Jays come in with the sharper recent form and the most dominant last result of either team in this matchup. Toronto crushed Tampa Bay 14-1 on March 22 after scoring 11 runs in a shutout win over the Yankees on March 19, both during spring training. Even in the two losses during the last five, the Blue Jays still showed some fight, dropping an 8-3 game at Pittsburgh and a 3-2 game against Baltimore. The full five-game run reads 14-1 win over Tampa Bay, 8-3 loss to Pittsburgh, 2-1 win over Minnesota, 11-0 win over the Yankees, and 3-2 loss to Baltimore. That is three wins in five games with 30 total runs scored in those victories.
Toronto also gets the edge on the mound by starting Dylan Cease. The Blue Jays are at home, the offense has already produced two blowout wins in the last five, and the most recent performance was a 13-run margin. On the other side, the Athletics have been in tight, error-filled games and have not shown the same kind of recent run prevention. Toronto does have several pitchers on the injury list, which is worth tracking, but the current form points to a club that can pressure opposing pitching early and put this game away early.
Injuries: Trey Yesavage, SP, 15-Day IL. Yimi Garcia, RP, 15-Day IL. Jose Berrios, SP, 15-Day IL. Shane Bieber, SP, 15-Day IL. Anthony Santander, RF, 10-Day IL.
Athletics vs. Toronto Blue Jays Pick
Spread Pick for the Athletics vs. Toronto
Toronto Blue Jays (5 Units)
Toronto is the better side based on last season’s returning players and recent spring training results. The Blue Jays have the stronger recent results, and the gap in those results is not small. Toronto’s last five include 14 runs against Tampa Bay and 11 against the Yankees, while the Athletics have allowed at least five runs in four of the last five results. That is the key matchup angle. The Athletics have enough power in the lineup to stay dangerous, especially with Kurtz, Rooker, and Langeliers as notable bats from last season, but the recent run prevention has been shaky. Toronto will also be at home. The play is backing Toronto straight up.
Over/Under Pick for the Athletics vs. Toronto
Over (4 Units)
The recent scoring trends point to runs. Athletics games have finished 10-9, 6-5, 5-5, 6-2, and 6-4 across the last five results, which is a clear sign of active offense and inconsistent pitching. Toronto’s recent card includes a 14-1 win, an 8-3 loss, an 11-0 win, and a 3-2 loss, so the Blue Jays have already shown both breakout scoring and enough pressure to push totals upward on their own. With the Athletics giving up runs in bunches lately and Toronto entering off a 14-run performance, this matchup sets up better for offense than for a quiet opener. The stronger betting angle on the total is the over.
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