For Blue Jays, Home Field Advantage in MLB Playoffs is Key!

Sep 23, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols (5) reaches out to starting pitcher Nick Tropeano (35) after he was taken out of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The LA Angels are still hanging around. They have a shot at grabbing a post season berth in the final days of the season. It’s actually kind of cool to see 3 teams from one division battling it out. Whether they Angels emerge victorious remains to be seen. But, just to be on the safe side, let’s take a look at whether the Blue Jays hold an advantage over them at Rogers Centre.

The Home/Away splits for the Angels are eerily similar. You have to see it for yourself to truly appreciate how close it is.

Toronto Blue Jays

Is there an advantage to forcing the Angels to hit on the road? It certainly doesn’t appear that way. Except, things get a little more lopsided when you look at their numbers at Rogers Centre. The Halos are slashing .226/.277/.438 in Toronto with 31 hits, including 7 home runs. That was what we should take away from the season series in Toronto between these two clubs. If the Blue Jays can limit the long ball, the other numbers suggest that things will be just fine. Cutting down on the big hits will be key as the 2015 damage was done with 8 doubles to go with those taters.

Pitching on the road has been a challenge for the Angels. Their 34-43 record and 4.61 ERA definitely favor the home team. They’ve given up nearly 70 more runs and struck our almost 120 fewer. BAtters are hitting nearly 30 points higher, too. Unfortunately for the Angels, things don’t get much better at Rogers Centre. They have surrendered 36 hits for 10 doubles and 4 HR. The Blue Jays managed to work them for 15 walks while striking out 23 times. That’s a 1.53 SO/W ratio, which just happens to be the second lowest mark the Angels put up in any stadium this year.

Again, things look good for the Blue Jays should the visiting team be the Angels. Of course, so much can happen in the Wild Card race in the dying days of the season, so the home team will have to watch on with anticipation.

Next: New York Yankees at Rogers Centre: Does Experience Equal Success?