Barstool Bush
Predictions

Toronto Blue Jays at Washington Nationals

By Bush StaffUpdated 24d ago·1 min read
Toronto Blue JaysTOR(49-59)
Washington NationalsWSH(55-53)
6—8
FINAL
123456789RHE
TOR
001110030682
WSH
40031000—882

Cade Cavalli and Shane Bieber took the mound for the middle game of this series at 7:50 PM ET, two starters trending in completely opposite directions coming in.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Blue Jays(49-59)
LWLWL
6
Nationals(55-53)
WLWWL
8
Best BetNationals -144
Postgame

The Nationals' moneyline cashed as Washington's early runs held up despite Toronto's late push.

Pregame

We backed the Nationals to win outright when this line opened, and the price held up as fair given Cavalli's roll into the start. Washington's lineup did the rest, jumping out early and forcing Toronto to play from behind against a Blue Jays team that's been streaky all year.

Cavalli arrived red-hot, riding a run of six starts in which he'd gone 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA, including a scoreless six-inning, eight-strikeout outing against the Rockies his last time out. Bieber, working back from Tommy John recovery and dogged by trade-candidate chatter over a rough middle stretch of his season, had at least steadied himself in his last start, a 7-inning, 1-run win over the Rays.

Toronto Blue Jays
Shane Bieber
(3-2)·5.48 ERA
Jul 23 vs Rays
W
7.0IP
1ER
3K
0BB
86P
07/28 Lineup
Washington Nationals
Cade Cavalli
(9-5)·3.57 ERA
Jul 22 @ Rockies
W
6.0IP
0ER
8K
2BB
90P
07/28 Lineup

Toronto's night got messier in the middle innings when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited with right hamstring tightness after wincing rounding first base, forcing the Blue Jays to replace their best hitter mid-game against a Nationals lineup that was already finding gaps.

Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
(49-59)
Jul 28L@ Nationals6-8
Jul 27W@ Nationals3-2
Jul 26L@ Red Sox1-6
Jul 25W@ Red Sox6-0
Jul 24L@ Red Sox4-6
Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
(55-53)
Jul 28Wvs Blue Jays8-6
Jul 27Lvs Blue Jays2-3
Jul 26Wvs Diamondbacks10-7
Jul 25Wvs Diamondbacks5-3
Jul 24Lvs Diamondbacks2-3

Washington jumped out early and never fully let go of the rope, piling on runs in the first, fourth and fifth to build the kind of lead a shorthanded Blue Jays lineup had to claw back from with Guerrero out of the picture. Toronto's bullpen and bench are already stretched thin with multiple relievers on extended IL stints, which made erasing a multi-run deficit that much tougher.

Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
(13)
  • Day-To-DayVladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B) — Guerrero was removed from Tuesday's game against the Nationals due to right hamstring tightness, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.07/29
  • 10-Day-ILLenyn Sosa (2B) — Sosa (wrist) will resume taking live batting practice this week, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.07/27
  • 10-Day-ILJesus Sanchez (RF) — Sanchez (ankle) is on track to return from the 10-day injured list Friday against the Cardinals, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.07/27
  • 10-Day-ILJonatan Clase (LF) — Clase (foot) isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.07/22
  • bereavementBraydon Fisher (RP) — Fisher threw 1.1 innings as the opener and gave up one earned run on no hits and two walks in Wednesday's loss to the Rays. He struck out one.07/27
  • 15-Day-ILPatrick Corbin (SP) — The Blue Jays placed Corbin on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a left teres major strain.07/23
  • 60-Day-ILJoe Mantiply (RP) — Mantiply (knee) has resumed throwing bullpen sessions, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.07/27
  • 60-Day-ILYimi Garcia (RP) — Garcia (elbow/neck/biceps) has been pulled off his rehab assignment and will be examined by a doctor for possible thoracic outlet syndrome, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.07/27
  • 60-Day-ILAddison Barger (RF) — Barger is expected to be sidelined six months following surgery Monday to repair his right elbow UCL, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.07/27
  • 60-Day-ILAnthony Santander (RF) — Santander is still dealing with discomfort in his surgically repaired left shoulder and recently received another cortisone shot, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.07/17
  • 60-Day-ILJose Berrios (SP) — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Berrios underwent full Tommy John surgery Wednesday in addition to having a stress fracture repaired, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.05/27
  • 60-Day-ILCody Ponce (SP) — Ponce underwent surgery Friday to repair the ACL in his right knee, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILBowden Francis (SP) — The Blue Jays placed Francis (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
(10)
  • 10-Day-ILDrew Millas (C) — Milias went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Red Sox.07/15
  • 15-Day-ILBrad Lord (RP) — Lord (side) will throw a live batting practice session Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.07/24
  • 15-Day-ILPJ Poulin (RP) — Poulin will serve as the opening pitcher in Saturday's game against the Yankees, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.07/19
  • 60-Day-ILTrevor Williams (SP) — Williams (elbow) struck out three and allowed three earned runs on six hits and two walks across 3.1 innings in a rehab start Sunday with High-A Wilmington.07/20
  • 60-Day-ILJake Irvin (SP) — Irvin (shoulder) struck out five and allowed one hit and no walks over 4.2 scoreless innings Sunday in a rehab start with Double-A Harrisburg.07/20
  • 60-Day-ILRichard Lovelady (RP) — Lovelady (triceps) began a throwing program shortly after landing on the injured list June 29 and had thrown off flat ground out to 60 feet as recently as July 3, MLB.com reports.07/19
  • 60-Day-ILMitchell Parker (RP) — The Nationals transferred Parker (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Wednesday.07/02
  • 60-Day-ILDJ Herz (SP) — Herz (elbow) was diagnosed Monday with a left flexor strain, Kyle Williams of TheBanner.com reports.06/22
  • 60-Day-ILKen Waldichuk (RP) — Waldichuk (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure April 21 and is hopeful to return to game action at some point early in the 2027 season, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.06/11
  • 60-Day-ILJosiah Gray (SP) — Gray (elbow) has resumed a throwing program, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.05/08

Give Toronto credit for not folding. The Jays scratched across three runs in the eighth to make it a two-run game and put a real scare into the Nationals' bullpen before Washington shut the door.

It's the kind of win Washington needed. The club had recently slipped behind in the crowded NL Wild Card picture, and taking the series opener the night before before backing it up here keeps them squarely in the conversation heading into the final two games of the set.

Sources

MLBToronto Blue JaysWashington NationalsPolymarketKalshiShane BieberCade Cavalli