It's the rubber match.  On paper it's a mismatch, Hiroki Kuroda faces Todd Redmond.  Kuroda has been the Yankees best pitcher this season while Redmond has gone from "good candidate for the number 5 starter next year" to "will he make another start?".  It's time for Redmond to bounce back but he faces a tough opponent.

Andy Pettitte vs. JA Happ.

After winning with the Toronto Blue Bisons last night, the Jays are back to a more normal line-up.  Rajai Davis and JP Arencibia are back to face the lefty.  That leaves just three Bisons in the line-up, Moises Sierra, still looking for his first major league hit of 2013, Ryan Goins and Kevin Pillar.

AA met with the media today, there will be comments to discuss but off the top Gibby will be back.  Did you ever doubt it, he was AA's guy and that means he gets more than one year.

Can the Jays put together a two game win streak?  RA Dickey will try to pitch well under the Dome, which I assume will be closed tonight given the thunder throughout the day today.  Phil Hughes is on the other side.  Captain Jetes is back for the bombers.  He will have to beat Ryan Goins, Anthony Gose, Moises Sierra and Kevin Pillar, all of whom are in the lineup tonight.   With Thole catching Dickey more than half the lineup were in Buffalo mid-season.

 

 

Weekend in Texas. Can the Jays win a series against the lowly Astros? It should be good for Pillar, Gose, Sierra and Goins to face some competition closer to what they are used to.

Chien Ming Wang has been recalled and will start tomorrow. Aaron Loup has been placed on paternity leave. Is his mother having another child? Just kidding, he has a baby face so it doesn't fit my mental image of him that he is about to become a father.

Can the futility in the big apple end?  RA Dickey takes on Adam Warren.

Maicer Izturis has abadly swollen ankle, he could be headed to the DL unless it gets a lot better by tomorrow.  This season is starting to resemble last year.  The DL for the Jays includes Bautista, Rasmus, Melky, Johnson, Morrow and a bunch of relievers.  One third of the lineup (45% if Izturis goes on it) and 40% of the rotation are on the DL, the team isn't playing well, and the losses are beginning to mount up. 

The local nine are off to Tampa Bay, and does everyone else remember those heady days in June when the Jays had drawn even with Tampa Bay and were just five games off the division lead? Also known as "The Kawasaki Era?" Or maybe you blinked and missed it.

Its Esmil Rogers, Thad Weber and Mickey Storey, with Brett Cecil as closer, taking on the Sawx tonight.  How will that turn out?  Rogers has been "off" for the past few starts and unless he finds his sinker in the back of his locker he might be in for a long night.

The Jays face John Lester and his 4.27 ERA.  Lester has been up and down this season.

Todd Redmond is back to start. Thad Weber is back, maybe to start. Josh Johnson has gone on the DL. Will he pitch again for the Blue Jays?

The Jays pitching staff now includes Todd Redmond, Mickey Storey, Thad Weber and Brad Lincoln. Shades of 2012 anyone?

An early start today, with Happ getting a surprise start. Oakland counters with Dan Straily.

Mark Buehrle vs. Sonny Grey. The Jays try and recover from yesterday's stinker. It wasn't just a loss for the Jays, Juan Perez has gone on the 60 day DL with a torn UCL. Mickey Storey has been recalled from the Bisons to provide relief support. There is no word yet as to whether Esmil Rogers is still part of the rotation.

In other news Drew Hutchison was activated off the 60 day DL as his rehab assignment ends on Monday. He was immediately optioned to Buffalo.

The boys are back in town after a day off. Oakland are in town for four games including a Monday day game. Once Oakland leave town the Red Sox show up for the first of 10 straight games against the AL East.

The A's are in a mini slump, they have lost six of seven.

All eyes will be on Josh Johnson.

King Felix starts for the Mariners.

Jays play in Seattle at 10:10 PM, Dickey vs Iwakuma (2.76 ERA 131 ERA+, 1.3 HR/9 1.4 BB/9, 8.0 K/9).  A few other things happened in MLB today too that you might have heard of, and by the time the Jays play we'll have seen the A-Rod circus go into overdrive while the others suspended are forgotten.

Mark Buehrle vs CJ Wilson. What unusual plays will we see today?

Steve Delabar has been placed on the 15 day DL with shoulder inflammation. It appears that JA Happ will be recalled to take his place.

The Melky-less Jays try and win a game in Anaheim. Last Sunday Todd Redmond faced the Astros and recorded ten strikeouts. The Anaheim lineup will provide a different challenge tonight and a truer test for Redmond. With JA Happ almost ready to come back Redmond is competing with Esmil Rogers and Josh Johnson to see who keeps their spot in the rotation.