MLB matchup analysis

Yankees vs Blue Jays Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Sunday, August 16, 2026 at Rogers Centre · 1:37 PM ET

Watchlist

LyDia prediction: Toronto Blue Jays moneyline

Lab Rating
6.8/10
Model lean
Blue Jays 73.3%
Market probability
53.4%
Model edge
+19.9%
Best moneyline
-118
Sportsbooks checked
9
LyDia model
73.3%
Market
53.4%

The case for Toronto Blue Jays

Starting pitcher edge: 17 points
LyDia gives Dylan Cease a 17-point edge over Ryan Weathers, driven mainly by K/9 (13.1 vs 9.7) and K-BB% (25.5% vs 18.9%).

The case for New York Yankees

Late-inning bullpen advantage
Toronto Blue Jays relievers have a 3.21 ERA over the last 7 days; New York Yankees relievers have a 1.80. Toronto Blue Jays also have 10 arms pitching on back-to-back days, against 6 for New York Yankees. If this is still close after six innings, that gap favors New York Yankees.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 6.8/10, under the 8.0/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 9.8/10
The Toronto Blue Jays bullpen comes in high risk. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.
Cold stretch at the plate
Toronto Blue Jays is -0.017 wOBA below its own season form.

Why the setup score is what it is

Bullpen: 3.6/20
LyDia does not see a meaningful bullpen edge for Toronto Blue Jays once assigned innings are weighted.
The verdict Worth monitoring, nothing more. The setup has pieces but does not add up to a bet at today's price.
Read the full model output

Toronto Blue Jays remains on the watchlist. Lab Rating 6.8/10: conviction 35, pitching plan 17, bullpen 3.6, offense 12.71. LyDia projects 73.3% against a 53.4% no-vig market number, a 19.9% model edge at -118. Toronto Blue Jays owns the starting pitcher edge by 17 points. Bullpen read: Adds caution. Toronto Blue Jays's pen efficiency: Effective (5.5/10). Bullpen fatigue moved this probability down 23.6 points from 96.9% (starting pitcher and team strength only) to 73.3%. Lineup check: Toronto Blue Jays is a touch below its season form (-0.039 OPS); New York Yankees is in a cold stretch (-0.063 OPS).

Game information

MatchupNew York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays
DateSunday, August 16, 2026
First pitch1:37 PM ET
VenueRogers Centre
Starting pitchersRyan Weathers vs Dylan Cease
WeatherGame-time forecast: 75°F, 2% precipitation chance, 10 mph wind from E. This venue has a roof, but the roof status is not confirmed.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Ryan WeathersYankees · LHP
vs
Dylan CeaseBlue Jays · RHP
MetricYankeesBlue Jays
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings5⅔6
ThrowsLR
LyDia pitcher score (higher is better)7188
ERA (lower is better)3.692.40
WHIP (lower is better)1.211.07
K/9 (higher is better)9.713.1
K-BB% (higher is better)18.9%25.5%
K% (higher is better)25.9%36.1%
BB% (lower is better)7.0%10.6%
BB/9 (lower is better)2.63.8
HR/9 (lower is better)1.30.6
Ground-ball rate53.2%50.5%
Fly-ball rate46.8%49.5%

Pitcher edge: LyDia gives Dylan Cease a 17-point edge over Ryan Weathers, driven mainly by K/9 (13.1 vs 9.7) and K-BB% (25.5% vs 18.9%).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table. Highlighted cells mark a gap big enough to matter. K% and BB% are strikeout and walk rate as a share of batters faced -- K-BB% is the two combined into one skill number. HR/9 is home runs allowed per nine innings. Ground-ball and fly-ball rate are neither good nor bad on their own: high ground-ball pitchers trade strikeouts for double plays and fewer home runs, and on this data source the two rates are complementary (they add to 100%), not independent reads.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Ryan Weathers strikeouts
4.6 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · +0.1K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 4.5K · O -142 / U +125 · 6 books
Dylan Cease strikeouts
8.6 LyDia projected Ks
No K play · +0.1K difference is below LyDia's 0.7K threshold
Market 8.5K · O +100 / U -110 · 6 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Yankees are 5-5 in their last 10, averaging 3.0 runs per game over the last 15 days, and hitting below their season form; Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last 10, averaging 3.7 runs per game over the last 15 days, and hitting below their season form. On the season Yankees carry the better run differential per game (+0.68 against -0.45).

MetricYankeesBlue Jays
Last 105-57-3
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)4-6 on the road8-2 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.6530.640
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.2890.284
Runs per game, last 15 days3.03.7
K% last 15 days (lower is better)25.9%21.1%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysYankeesBlue Jays
OPS0.625 (-0.091 vs szn)0.641 (-0.038 vs szn)
Runs per game3.15 (-1.299 vs szn)3.34 (-0.567 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.278 (-0.038 vs szn)0.285 (-0.015 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)26.3% (+1.7% vs szn)19.5%

Over the last 30 days the Blue Jays have been the better offense, 0.285 wOBA to 0.278. They are cooling off against their own season line (-0.015 wOBA). Yankees are striking out at 26.3% over the window — something the opposing starter can lean on.

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricYankeesBlue Jays
Record68-5561-64
Run differential / game (team quality)+0.68-0.45
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.453.91
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)3.764.36
Season OPS0.7160.679
K% season (lower is better)24.5%19.6%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7140.626

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Yankees and Blue Jays are highlighted.

Yankees
Combined risk
6.0 Normal
Fatigue
6.9 Tired
Efficiency
6.9 Effective
Blue Jays
Combined risk
9.8 High risk
Fatigue
10.0 High risk
Efficiency
5.5 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricYankeesBlue Jays
Fatigue6.9/10, Tired10.0/10, High risk
Efficiency6.9/10, Effective5.5/10, Effective
Combined risk6.0/10, Normal9.8/10, High risk
Relief innings, last 7 days20.033.7
Back-to-back arms610
7-day ERA1.803.21
7-day WHIP1.001.37

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
LyDia projection
2.0
Market total
6.5
Projected away runs
0.4
Projected home runs
1.7
Over price
-107
Under price
-105
New York Yankees team total
0.4 projected
Line 3.5 · O +123 / U -140
Under research lean (-3.1)
Toronto Blue Jays team total
1.7 projected
Line 3.5 · O +112 / U -130
Under research lean (-1.8)

The model projects 4.5 runs below the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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