Series Preview: Series 22 vs. Blue Jays
Photo Via: Associated PressFor the first time since 2020, the Yankees head to the dreaded Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York. The Blue Jays have hosted the Yankees this season, but the games were played down in Dunedin, Florida. Now, the Blue Jays have moved back closer to home and where they played every home game during the shortened 2020 season. The two clubs are tied in the win column, but the Yankees have two more losses this season.
Yankees Record: 33-32
Blue Jays Record: 33-30
Season Series: 6-3 (Blue Jays leading)
Lifetime Record: 368-302 (Yankees leading)
Game 1
Tuesday, June 15 — 7:07 pm — YES Network
Probable Pitchers: Jordan Montgomery - LHP (NYY) vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu - LHP (TOR)
Game Notes: Montgomery overcame a poor first inning against the Twins in his last start. He nearly completed 6 innings, but a double off the wall by Rob Refsnyder ended Monty’s day at 5.2 IP and 3 ER. Gumby has a 3.99 ERA on the season and the Yankees need even more from him. Between Monty and Germán, the Yankees need to establish a true second starter. The lefty did not make it out of the 5th inning in his last start against the Blue Jays, so he needs to be better than that here.
Ryu has made two starts against the Yankees this season (12 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 12 K) and the Blue Jays won both games. He has a 3.34 ERA in 70 innings this season, but has not been as sharp lately. In June, he has made 2 starts and has allowed 10 runs (9 earned, 6.94 ERA) in 11.2 innings with only 4 strikeouts. However, the Yankees have made a habit out of turning around pitchers’ cold streaks, so his recent woes serve as no indication of poor performance on Tuesday.
Game 2
Wednesday, June 16 — 7:07 pm — YES Network
Probable Pitchers: Gerrit Cole - RHP (NYY) vs. Ross Stripling - RHP (TOR)
Game Notes: Last start, Cole silenced any talk about him needing “sticky stuff” as he struck out 9 Twins hitters in 6 efficient innings. Cole has a 2.31 ERA in 2021, which is exactly what the Yankees hope for out of their ace. Cole leads MLB in FIP (2.10) and BB/9 (1.2).
Stripling has a 4.91 ERA in 9 starts this season. In his last 4 appearances (3 starts), he has a 2.38 ERA in 22.2 innings. He also has a .203 batting average against in those games. He faced the Yankees once this season (April 3), where he surrendered 3 runs in 3.1 innings.
Game 3
Thursday, June 17 — 7:07 pm — YES Network, MLB Network
Probable Pitchers: Michael King - RHP (NYY) vs. T.J. Zeuch - RHP (TOR)
Game Notes: After starting out the season with 4 consecutive appearances with a positive Win Probability Added amount, King has been in the negative in each of his last 6 outings, including his only 3 starts on the season. The Yankees have lost all 3 of King’s starts since he began filling in for the injured Corey Kluber.
The Blue Jays have yet to announce a starting pitcher for Thursday’s game. In all likelihood, Steven Matz will make the start for the Blue Jays. However, he is currently on the COVID-related injured list due to league protocols and does not have a date set to return. (Update: Steven Matz tested positive for COVID-19 and will not start or be active for this series).
Trent Thornton and Tyler Chatwood are in Toronto’s bullpen and could make a spot start, if needed. The team could also call up one of T.J. Zeuch, Nate Pearson, or Anthony Kay for Thursday as well.
(Update: The Blue Jays announced RHP T.J. Zeuch will start Game 3)
Sluggers to Watch
Gary Sánchez is really heating up at the plate. Over his last 14 games (12 starts), he is 15 for 46 (.326 AVG) with 3 homers and 3 doubles. His on-base percentage over that stretch is .392 (5 walks). His strikeout numbers are still a bit high, but with Gary you just hope the slugging is there to outweigh the swings and misses. His hot stretch coincides with Higashioka slumping, so Gary appears to be the true starting catcher. I doubt we will see him catch for Gerrit Cole’s start, but it would not be nearly as surprising to see him behind the dish for that game than it would have been a month ago.
Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr. are turning into everything the Blue Jays hoped they would become when they were two of the most hyped prospects in their franchise’s history. Bichette leads MLB with 56 runs scored, despite a low on-base percentage (.329). That is because Bichette regularly collects extra-base hits (14 doubles, 1 triple, 13 home runs) and he runs the bases really well (8 stolen bases in 8 attempts). He has 12 hits over his last 6 games, including a pair of homers. Bichette has already homered off of Jordan Montgomery this season and is 2 for 6 against the southpaw in his career, but has not done well in the past against Gerrit Cole (1 for 12). He is 2 for 7 in his career against Michael King with one double. Bichette has punished the best Yankees’ relievers, going 2 for 2 off Aroldis Chapman and 3 for 6 against Chad Green (with a walk-off homer).
Guerrero Jr. leads the league in nearly every offensive category (HR - 21, RBI - 55, AVG - .344, OBP - .450, OPS - 1.137, and OPS+ - 210). Quite frankly, he has been unstoppable this season. He has been more successful against the Yankees starters, going 3 for 5 with a homer and a walk against Montgomery, 4 for 10 with 2 walks against Cole, and 2 for 7 with a triple against King. He, too, has touched up a couple Yankees’ relievers. He is 2 for 5 with a home run versus Britton (you probably remember that one) and 3 for 7 with 2 doubles against Loáisiga.
Injury Report
OF Aaron Judge sat on Sunday because he had been experiencing back spasms. He is currently listed as day-to-day, but there is definitely a chance he does not play in one or more of these games. An update will be provided when Boone completes his press conference tomorrow afternoon as lineups are released (update: Judge is good to go for the series).
1B Luke Voit (oblique strain) started a rehab assignment on Sunday and is slated to return in about a week.
RHP Luis Severino began a rehab assignment last week, but ran into a major setback on Saturday. He was removed from his start with a groin injury and had to be helped off the field. Odds are Severino will be out quite a while.
OF Ryan LaMarre (pulled hamstring), RHP Clarke Schmidt (elbow strain), and RHP Darren O’Day (strained rotator cuff), RHP Corey Kluber (right shoulder strain), and CF Aaron Hicks (wrist surgery - out for season) are all out for the series.
Schmidt is still in the process of completing a throwing program but has not yet progressed to a rehab assignment.
Kluber has yet to begin his throwing program but has done running drills.
O’Day has thrown from a distance of 120 feet on flat ground. If he has not yet progressed to mound work, he will likely do so soon.
LaMarre began a rehab assignment at Triple-A last week, but is unlikely to return to the major league roster when he is activated from the injured list.
Blue Jays’ LHP Steven Matz is on the COVID-related injured list due to league protocols and may or may not return for this series, as there is no time requirement for the COVID-related injured list. (Update: Matz will not play in this series as he has tested positive for COVID-19).
The Blue Jays have the following players on the 10-day injured list who will not play this series:
C Danny Jansen (strained hamstring)
OF George Springer (strained quad)
LHP Travis Bergen (shoulder impingement)
LHP Ryan Borucki (strained forearm flexor)
The Blue Jays have the following players on the 60-day injured list who will not play in this series:
C Alejandro Kirk (strained hip flexor)
RHP Thomas Hatch (elbow discomfort)
RHP Patrick Murphy (sprained shoulder)
RHP A.J. Cole (neck discomfort)
RHP Julian Merryweather (strained oblique)
LHP Tommy Milone (shoulder inflammation)
RHP David Phelps (lat surgery)
RHP Kirby Yates (Tommy John surgery)