Updated:
May 8, 2026 , 10:17 AM ET
• 4 min read
DiStefano’s prediction: Cease keeps Halos hitters off balance.
Photo By – Reuters Connect. Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease.
Dylan Cease is among the league leaders in strikeouts this season, and my Angels vs. Blue Jays predictions are expecting him to rack up more punch outs in a plus-matchup against strikeout-prone Los Angeles.
Read on for my free MLB picks for Friday, May 8.
Angels vs Blue Jays predictions
Angels vs Blue Jays best bet: Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts (-130)
It’s a high total at 7.5, but this is a plus-matchup for Toronto Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease, who faces off against the most strikeout-prone lineup in baseball.
Cease K’d 12 Los Angeles Angels batters in just five innings in their April 20 meeting, and owns a 42% career strikeout rate against this current lineup.
He has nasty stuff with the second highest K/9 this season, while ranking in the 98th percentile in whiff rate.
L.A. carries a 25.5% strikeout rate and a 27.6% whiff rate. Those numbers grow to a 38% K-rating with a 42% whiff rate against the slider, which is Cease’s put-away pitch with 47% whiff rate against.
COVERS INTEL: Cease has 13.15 K/9, averaging eight strikeouts per game this season.
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Angels vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Kazuma Okamoto has recorded a hit in six straight games, going Over his posted base total in five of those contests.
He also owns a .290 against lefties this season, crushing the fastball, which is LHP Reid Detmers‘ most utilized pitch.
Myles Straw has been extremely consistent this year, hitting .310 on the season and grabbing hits in each of his last four starts. He also owns a .333 average in 12 at-bats against Detmers in his career.
Angels vs Blue Jays SGP
Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts
Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases
Myles Straw Over 0.5 hits
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Angels vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+450)
I’m only betting a half unit on this one.
Detmers has only allowed three home runs this season, and doesn’t allow much hard contact. However, Okamoto has shown a lot of pop in his bat lately, homering in four of his last six games with a 1.506 OPS.
Okamoto has six home runs against the fastball, which is Detmers’ most utilized pitch.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 15-21, -2.25 units
SGPs: 7-29, -0.70 units
HR picks: 8-28, +9.65 units
Angels vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +136 | Toronto -162
Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Angels vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays have covered the run line in four of their last five games at home (+4.20 Units / 69% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Angels vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, May 8, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
ABTV, Sportsnet 1
Angels starting pitcher
Reid Detmers
(1-2, 4.28 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease
(2-1, 3.05 ERA)
Angels vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Angels vs Blue Jays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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