Blue Jays begin road trip against Red Sox
The Toronto Blue Jays are set to begin a road trip against the Boston Red Sox, following a challenging seven-game homestand. This series is seen as a significant opportunity for the Blue Jays to maintain their playoff aspirations in the American League wild-card race.
Coming out of the All-Star break, the Blue Jays faced a crucial stretch with a homestand against the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. The team concluded this homestand with a 3-1 victory against the Rays, avoiding a sweep. However, the overall homestand record was 2-5.
The Red Sox enter this series in strong form, having recently had a 15-game winning streak snapped by the Baltimore Orioles. Boston currently holds the final AL wild-card spot, making this series important for both teams.
Pitching matchup and injury updates
For the series opener, the Blue Jays will start right-hander Trey Yesavage. Yesavage is coming off an outing where he pitched six innings against the White Sox, allowing five hits and three runs. This will be his third start against the Red Sox this season, having previously worked 12.2 innings against them, giving up eight hits and three runs, with nine strikeouts and no walks.
The Red Sox will counter with left-hander Patrick Sandoval, who will be making his third appearance of the season. Sandoval is returning from injury at a time when the Red Sox‘s starting rotation has been affected by injuries. In 9.1 innings across appearances against the White Sox and Rays, he has recorded 10 strikeouts.
Several players for the Blue Jays are currently on injured lists. Lenyn Sosa (right wrist contusion), Jess Sanchez (right ankle sprain), and Jonathan Clase (left foot discomfort) are on the 10-Day Injured List. On the 15-Day Injured List are Joe Mantiply (left knee inflammation), Max Scherzer (back spasms), and Patrick Corbin (left teres major strain).
The 60-Day Injured List includes Jos Berros (Tommy John surgery), Cody Ponce (right knee ACL sprain), Anthony Santander (left shoulder labral surgery), Bowden Francis (right UCL reconstruction surgery), Yimi Garca (right elbow surgery rehab), and Addison Barger (right elbow inflammation). Jesus Sanchez and Yimi Garcia are both beginning rehab assignments, with expectations that their recovery periods may not extend much beyond a week.
Regarding player availability from the previous game, John indicated that Tyler Rogers was not available, and Louis Varland would only be used in a save situation. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. ET at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.
Looking ahead for Toronto
With the August 3 trade deadline approaching, the Blue Jays are likely to be considered sellers, given their current standing. This series against the Red Sox represents a final significant opportunity for the team to keep their playoff hopes alive, however faint they may appear.
The previous game saw the Blue Jays score more than one run, a performance that some hope to see replicated or improved upon in the upcoming game. The team’s effort level is a point of focus, even in the event of a loss.
The game will be broadcast on Apple TV and TVA Sports, with radio coverage available on SN590 THE FAN.
| BLUE JAYS | RED SOX |
|---|---|
| Nathan Lukes – RF | Anthony Seigler – 2B |
| Vladimir Guerrero – 1B | Ceddanne Rafaela – CF |
| Kazuma Okamoto – 3B | Wilyer Abreu – RF |
| George Springer – DH | Willson Contreras – 1B |
| Daulton Varsho – CF | Masataka Yoshida – DH |
| Ernie Clement – 2B | Caleb Durbin – 3B |
| Yohendrick Pinango – LF | Jarren Duran – LF |
| Andres Gimenez – SS | Andruw Monasterio – SS |
| Brandon Valenzuela – C | Connor Wong – C |
| Dylan Cease – RHP | Sonny Gray – RHP |
The series opener marks Game #105 for the Blue Jays.
Source: bluebirdbanter.com
Chloe Tremblay is the Sports Reporter at CasinoNews, covering basketball, tennis and athletics with nine years of reporting experience. She reported on the Raptors' rise and two Olympic cycles. She holds a degree in Journalism from Concordia University. Based in Montreal, she plays recreational basketball and follows track athletics. “The best stories come from the athletes everyone overlooks.”
