Our MLB Play of the Day for Friday, April 5: Can Kikuchi Cool Off the Yankees Bats?

Are you ready to make it a fabulous Friday? How about some early baseball action to kick-start your weekend? Check out our MLB play of the day for Friday, April 5. Good luck, folks!

Toronto Blue Jays @ New York Yankees Under 8.5 (-105 at BetMGM)

After a 6-1 start to their season during their 7-game road trip to start the season, the Yankees will finally be in their home stadium to host the Toronto Blue Jays. Anthony Volpe, the Yanks starting shortstop, currently leads them in average, batting an impressive .409. Their RBI leader is Oswaldo Cabrera, who sits at 7. As a pitching staff, the NYY pitchers are 4th in all of MLB with a combined 2.53ERA.

Stroman will be on the bump for the Yanks as they face the Toronto Blue Jays, his former team from a while back. Stroman went 6 shutout innings and struck out 4 batters while allowing 4 hits and walking 2 in his debut on the season. Unlike the Yanks, the Jays have struggled at the beginning of the season.

Sitting at 3-4 through their 1st 7 games and batting a measly .176 combined is not what Toronto expects. Justin Turner is the only Jay hitting over .300 and there are more .200 and below averages than above on the roster currently. Yusei Kikuchi walked 3 and allowed 3 runs on just 4 1/3 innings of work while also walking 3.

He will be on the hill for the Jays in this one and will have a tough lineup to face as he looks to lower an inflated ERA after his debut. The Yankees have not been that impressive in their career at-bats against Kikuchi, but they should be able to find success with the way he is struggling. Stroman was dominant in his 1st outing but can be susceptible to inconstancy, particularly in the early parts of the season.

• The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Toronto’s last 19 games against New York Yankees.
• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees’ last 6 games.
• The total has gone UNDER in 13 of NY Yankees’ last 19 games played in April.
• The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Toronto’s last 12 games played in April.