Since beating up the Orioles right after the all-star break, the Rays have lost three straight series versus the Yankees, Red Sox and White Sox. The Rays looked like they were headed for a wild card spot but now find themselves on the outside. The Rays have lost Kevin Kiermaier, Blake Snell and Yandy Diaz over the last week. The Jays will not miss facing Snell, and Kiermaier always seems to play well against the Jays. The Jays come off an off day and will navigate "maximum rumour weekend" (tm).
The Jays will try and win a series against a good team with three at home against the Clevelanders. They start the series with a roster move. Trent Thornton to the IL with elbow inflammation, Ryan Borucki activated.
The #BlueJays continue their road trip with a stop in Beantown. #LetsGoBlueJays
Jim Bouton's playing career was not without accomplishment.
It's the battle of the birds as the final match-up before the all-star break. Baltimore are in first place for the number one pick next season with their 25-61 record. The Blue Jays are a full seven games better, in fourth. Your Blue Jays have been playing better but there are some enforced changes for this weekend. Marcus Stroman will not pitch before the break, resting his "cramp" that's obviously was not a cramp. The enigma, wrapped in a riddle that is Aaron Sanchez will pitch tonight, who knows what that will bring.
I know, it's four weeks away.
The Jays take their good, Royals level, form against the jet-lagged Red Sox. Can the Jays hitters continue their good hitting against the three big Red Sox starters? Will the Red Sox have any carry-over from their London trip? Maybe they will get sleepy in the middle innings, it will be bed time in London at game time.
If memory serves Wells Aug 92, Doc Apr 99/00, and Carpenter sometime in 02. I wonder where Sanchez's month ranks?
Here you go, christaylor!
Its a long weekend, four game, battle at the bottom with the teams with the third and fourth fewest wins in baseball battling it out for draft pick order. For the Jays Justin Smoak is back and Billy McKinney is gone, to Buffalo we assume.
Your Blue Jays head into Boston with one thing on their minds....can we win one game in this series? That's how things have been going recently. Boston have had an up and down season so far, and many would say they have disappointed, but their record is 41-35 and they would be in the playoffs if the season ended now. The Red Sox have won seven of their last eight games and their only loss in that spell came in 17 innings. As it happens, the Red Sox throw out three starters against the Jays with none of them having a winning record. But don't get your hopes up. Chris Sale is 3-7, Rick Porcello 5-6, and Saturday's starter, Brian Johnson, is 1-1.
It's a tough Fathers Day weekend for the Jays, they will do well to win one game. It's also the "Biggio goes home" weekend and the "Gurriel brothers" weekend.
The 23-42 Blue Jays take on the 20-45 Orioles. The Orioles will be hoping for a sweep to get themselves out of being alone in last place in the division because, as we all know, misery loves company. Misery loves company could be the sub-heading for this series with both teams tanking 2019. This is the start of a 16 game stretch without an off-day for the Jays. After this three gamer, they play 13 against the Astros, Angels, Red Sox and Yankees so make hay against the Orioles guys.
The Jekyl and Hyde Jays head into Tampa for a three game set. Today is memorial day in the US so the game is a 1pm start. There is a flu bug going through the clubhouse so it remains unknown who will be effected, other than Cavan Biggio who was moved from 2B to DH because he has been ill.
Even though the Jays are just plodding along, there are some reasons to tune in this weekend. On the Blue Jay side Cavan Biggio will make his debut and will play second base on Friday night. We will see if his patient approach works or if the Padre pitchers challenge him. His father Craig should be in town for the big day. Lourdes Gurriel is back too, although he won't be at second base tonight. He played more second base than outfield in Buffalo so any outfield exposure would still be classified as experimental. Zac Rosscup will make his Blue Jay debut as a Mayza alternative for lefty hitters and another lefty, Thomas Pannone, is back to provide some long relief.
It's rematch time. As is usual in MLB these days, the Jays and White Sox face off one week after their previous get together. It will be a different Jays team tonight as Richard Urena is back and Teoscar Hernandez is down in Buffalo. There could be another move before Saturday. The Jays are in a part of the schedule where they need five starters. Daniel Hudson is listed as Saturdays starter, we will see if that comes to happen. Clayton Richard is in Chicago and speculation is that he will start on Saturday.
