With Max Scherzer on the mound, the Toronto Blue Jays will seek to clinch their series with the visiting Baltimore Orioles and tighten their hold on the American League East on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Jays (85-62) took the opener of the three-game set with a 6-1 victory over the Orioles (69-78) on Friday night.
Toronto maintained its three-game lead in the AL East over the second-place New York Yankees, who defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Friday.
Scherzer (5-3, 4.36 ERA) will face Baltimore for the second time this year. In his season (and Blue Jays’) debut, he lasted just three innings vs. the Orioles on March 29, allowing two runs. He exited that game and landed on the injured list for nearly three months with a right thumb injury.
The 41-year-old right-hander is 7-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 17 career starts against the Orioles.
Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (10-8, 4.51) is slated to start for Baltimore. The 35-year-old rookie from Japan started against Toronto twice early in the season, going 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA.
With Bo Bichette on the injured list due to a sprained left knee, Blue Jays manager John Schneider experimented by moving Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez to shortstop on Friday.
Gimenez went 0-for-4 but looked comfortable on defense. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who had two hits, played second base.
Gimenez acknowledged that he needed to work the different throws required from shortstop but welcomed the move.
“Something that I’ve learned is it’s good to be out of your comfort zone, and more important for me is helping the team, because it gives Schneider more flexibility in the lineup and the matchups,” he said. “I’m happy to be helping the team in this way.”
Regardless of the shortstop, the Blue Jays’ pitching has been the key for their past two wins. Kevin Gausman fired a two-hit shutout against the Houston Astros on Thursday, and six Toronto pitchers held the Orioles to three hits on Friday.
Both teams had to go to their bullpens after five innings in the series opener, which could have an impact on the next two games.
Toronto starter Chris Bassitt left after five innings despite allowing only one run and throwing 75 pitches. He said that he “wasn’t feeling the best” during the start.
“Just that time of year, things don’t feel great,” he said. “It’s making sure that we’re the healthiest going forward.”
Baltimore starter Trevor Rogers allowed only an unearned run while making 79 pitches. He left because of a small blood blister under the nail of his left big toe.
The left-hander said he has been able to deal with the issue most of the season.
“It’s just been very tough just to try to force it out of the toenail,” he said. “It’s trying to play a waiting game but also pitch every five or six days and not irritate it, so it’s just kind of that back-and-forth game.”
Rogers has had a superb season, as he is 8-2 with a 1.43 ERA after the Friday no-decision. He issued a season-high four walks because he was having trouble finishing his pitches.
“I think if we were in a playoff race right there, I don’t think he’s letting us take him out,” Baltimore interim manager Tony Mansolino said.
The Orioles’ offense has been quiet recently, even though the team is 8-2 in September.
“We haven’t swung the bat here the past week,” Mansolino said. “Tough night for us, not our best night by any means. We’ll bounce back (Saturday).”
Baltimore’s Tyler O’Neill returned to the lineup on Friday after being out since early August because of right wrist inflammation. Outfielder Daniel Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to create roster space. O’Neill went 0-for-3 with a walk as the Orioles’ designated hitter on Friday.
–Field Level Media