Pirates vs Blue Jays Picks, Predictions & Props to Bet (May 24)

• The Toronto Blue Jays are -160 favorites to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday
• Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease is ranks third in strikeouts this season
• Read below for my Pirates vs Blue Jays prediction, updated odds and player prop picks

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Don’t look now, but the Toronto Blue Jays might be surging. It’s about this same spot last year when the Blue Jays took off, a season that ended in a World Series appearance.

On Sunday, they’ll try to complete a 3-game sweep of the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.

Toronto has kept the Pirates bats in check, limiting them to two runs in each of the first two games of the series.

The books like them to bring out the brooms as the home favorite in the MLB odds.

First pitch is set for 12:!5pm ET from the Rogers Centre in Toronto, with Peacock providing the broadcast coverage.

Pirates vs Blue Jays Odds

The graphic above shows the best available odds, which are subject to change. Use the BetMGM promo code to wager on Pirates vs Blue Jays.

The Pirates enter as +136 underdogs on the moneyline at FanDuel, while the Blue Jays are short -160 favorites at bet365.

On the runline, Toronto winning by at least two runs comes at +136 odds, while the Pirates staying within two runs ioffers -150 odds over at BetMGM. The total is set at 7.5 runs on Sunday.

Pirates vs Blue Jays Picks and Prediction

• Best Bet: Blue Jays ML (-160 at bet365)

The MLB probable pitchers is advantage Toronto, as the Jays trot out hard throwing righty Dylan Cease to go against Mitch Keller.

Cease has been nothing short of dominant during the 2026 campaign. He boasts a stellar 2.98 ERA and a staggering 13.19 strikeouts per nine innings.

His 84 strikeouts currently rank third in the majors, behind just Milwuakee’s Jacob Misiorowski and Phillies’ starter Cristopher Sanchez. Overall, Toronto’s staff averages 9.38 strikeouts per nine innings (4th in MLB).

Keller has posted a respectable 3.86 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, but his strikeout rate sits at just 6.33 K/9. Cease’s elite swing-and-miss ability gives Toronto a clear analytical edge to control the pace.

Offensively, the Jays are solid at Rogers Centre, generating 4.62 runs per game on a .244 average. This comfortably outpaces a Pittsburgh squad that struggles to get on base away from PNC Park.

The road team carries a sluggish .653 away OPS, ranking 26th in the majors. This makes it exceptionally difficult for them to string together sustained rallies.

It’s part of the reason I am backing Toronto outright. The other is Cease, who provides a clear advantage in raw stuff and run prevention.

Keller limits walks well (2.47 BB/9), but his lack of strikeout upside means he will rely heavily on his defense. Both pitchers average nearly six innings per start, pointing toward a game dictated by the starters.

PIT Pirates vs TOR Blue Jays Props

Dylan Cease Over 8.5 Strikeouts (+118 at DraftKings)
Generating whiffs at an absurd rate and averaging 5.73 innings per start, Cease routinely flirts with double-digit punchouts and there’s a strong probability that the ace will continuously overpower the opposing lineup.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr To Record 2+ Total Bases (+121 at DraftKings)
If you want plus-money value at the plate, look no further than Guerrero Jr. He is hitting .287 with a .377 on-base percentage. Averaging 1.03 hits per game, he provides excellent value to rack up multiple total bases against Keller and the bullpen.

Under 7.5 Total Runs (-108 at DraftKings)
Both pitching staffs are incredibly reliable. Toronto carries a 3.82 overall ERA, while Pittsburgh has logged a combined 3.89 ERA. With Cease operating at an elite level and Keller limiting base runners effectively, runs should come at a premium.