The set-up: Seattle's pitching staff is currently decimated by injuries but the Seattle bats have come to the rescue, scoring 53 runs (7.57 per) in winning six of the team's last seven games. The Mariners got out of the blocks just 2-8 but head into Thursday's opener of a four-game series in Toronto against the Blue Jays at .500 on the season (17-17). The Blue Jays know all about slow starts, having opened the 2017 season at 1-9. However, Toronto may be slowly is turning its season around, after back-to-back series victories for the first time this season and wins in seven of its last 11 contests, overall. Ryan Goins had a walk-off single in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 8-7 triumph over Cleveland but the Jays, who have played in each of the last two ALCS, are already 9 1/2 games back of first-place in the AL East.

The pitching matchup: Chase De Jong (0-2 & 6.75 ERA) takes the mound for Seattle and will be opposed by Toronto's Marco Estrada (1-2 & 3.14 ERA). Hisaski Iwakuma (right shoulder inflammation) just joined Felix Hernandez (shoulder), Drew Smyly (flexor tendon) and James Paxton (forearm strain) on the disabled list. De Jong will move up a day in the rotation to make the start (will have four days' rest, though). The 23-year-old rookie settled for a hard-luck no-decision versus Texas on Saturday after allowing a solo HR among four hits over six innings while making his second start in place of Hernandez. Estrada threw in a clunker against Tampa Bay on Saturday, allowing a pair of HRs and a season-high five runs in a 6-1 loss to the Rays. Estrada has struggled against Seattle with a 1-3 career mark and a 4.13 ERA,.

The pick: The Seattle bats have carried the team lately but the Mariners remain a poor 7-12 on the road, where the Mariners are allowing 5.32 RPG. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays are beginning to come around and while Estrada had a poor outing his last time, it came after four stellar starts in which he permitted just three ERs on 20 hits over 26 innings (1.04 ERA). Make the Blue Jays a 10* play.