Don't look now, but the Toronto Blue Jays are starting to play up to World Series expectations that were heaped on them after all the big moves made by GM Alex Anthopoulos this offseason.

Toronto has won six straight entering Tuesday -- all stats will be entering Tuesday. Yes, the Jays are still last in the American League East because of their brutal start. But struggling Tampa Bay is just three games ahead, and the Jays can just take things one step -- i.e. team ahead of them -- at a time. In addition, Toronto is only 5.5 games out of the wild-card lead. And you know that ownership is ready to spend what it takes to improve before the July 31 trade deadline to get Toronto into the postseason for the first time since winning a second straight World Series in 1993. The Jays are still +2500 long shots on Sportsbook.ag to win the AL East and +5000 to win the AL pennant. You may want to jump on those now because they will start to get lower if Toronto has things turned around.

As for Colorado, I feel like I jinxed the Rockies in my preview of one of their games last week. I mentioned that I thought shortstop Troy Tulowitzki would win the NL MVP award if he stayed healthy. Problem is, he never does. Indeed, he's not any more, out 4-6 weeks on the disabled list with a broken rib. He's second in the National League in average (.347), No. 3 in homers (16) and No. 5 in RBI (61). He's still got a shot at MVP, especially with Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt now in a slump. The Rox need another MVP candidate, Carlos Gonzalez, to really carry the load now that Tulo is out (he really needs to move to the AL and DH). Colorado is a half game out of the NL West lead and 4.5 out of the top wild-card spot. Colorado is +700 to win the NL West.

Rockies at Blue Jays Betting Story Lines

Toronto took Monday's series opener with Colorado 2-0 behind a brilliant game from Josh Johnson and despite having just three hits, all singles. If Johnson starts pitching like an ace, then look out. The stuff has always been there. He just has trouble staying healthy as well. Johnson didn't actually get the win despite 7.1 shutout innings and striking out 10. He remains winless on the year but has been pitching better than his record. Starting pitching has been the biggest reason why the Blue Jays are 10-4 in June. The team's starters have a 3.10 ERA this month compared to 5.74 in May. The Jays allowed only four runs to a good Texas offense in a shocking four-game sweep last week in Arlington.

Let's see if Mark Buehrle (3-4, 4.66) can keep up the starters' roll in Wednesday's game. Ever since allowing five runs on May 17 at the Yankees, he's been a different pitcher, allowing more than three earned runs once in five starts. The Jays have won four of them. Buehrle faced Colorado once last year while with the Marlins, allowing four runs and five hits in 7.2 innings of a victory. Michael Cuddyer has by far seen him the most of any Rockie, hitting .318 with three homers and 13 RBI in 107 at-bats. Gonzalez is 5-for-8 in his career of Buehrle, who has a 3.77 ERA at home this year compared to 5.62 on the road.

Colorado counters with right-hander Juan Nicasio (4-2, 4.86). He wasn't good last time out, allowing five runs and seven hits of a loss to Philadelphia. It's the third time in his past seven starts he has allowed five runs. Nicasio has identical home/road ERA splits this year but is allowing a .273 average on the road compared to .227 at home. He has never faced the Jays.

Let's see how red-hot Blue Jays first baseman Adam Lind fares off Nicasio. Lind, a lefty slugger, is hitting a cool .417 in June with four homers and 13 RBI. He's up to .344 on the season but doesn't have enough at-bats yet to qualify for the batting leaders. Jose Bautista hasn't been as good with a .210 average this month. He has three homers and nine RBI, but all the homers and all but three of the RBI game in back-to-back games.

Rockies at Blue Jays Betting Odds and Trends

Toronto opened at -152 with Colorado at +142 and a total of 9. All trends entering Tuesday: Colorado is 37-32-2 “over/under (18-12-1 on road) and 34-37 on the runline. Toronto is 36-32-1 O/U (19-15 at home) and 37-32 on the runline.

The Rockies are a horrid 5-22 in their past 27 interleague games. They are 1-4 in their past five interleague games against lefty starter. Colorado is 5-1 in Nicasio's past six Wednesday starts. Toronto is 7-1 in its past eight interleague games. The Jays are 5-2 in their past seven in Game 3 of a series. It is 4-0 in Buehrle's past four against teams with a winning record. The over is 5-0 in Colorado's past five road games against southpaws. The over is 7-0-1 in Nicasio's past eight road starts. The over is 6-2 in Toronto's past eight home games against righty starters. The under is 6-1 in Buehrle's past seven starts. The under is 5-2 in the past seven meetings in Toronto.
Rockies at Blue Jays Picks and Betting Predictions

In an odd stat, the Jays and Rockies have played 13 times all-time entering Tuesday, and the home team has won every game. That ties the longest current streak of games won by the home club in any matchup, along with Braves-Brewers. Toronto has it going right now, and with no Tulo this is an easy one: Jays and over. Like Toronto at +125 on the runline as well.

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