The Toronto Blue Jays will open a three-game series on Tuesday with an unfamiliar opponent. The San Francisco Giants are set to visit Rogers Centre, representing the first time the two clubs have met since 2019.
The Blue Jays have won four of their past five games, but carrying that momentum forward won’t prove easy against the contending Giants, who sit second in the National League West (by just 2.5 games) and hold the fourth-best record in the NL.
Here’s a look at the series.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT: San Francisco RHP Ryan Walker (2-0, 1.89 ERA) vs. Kevin Gausman (7-3, 3.10 ERA)
Wednesday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT: San Francisco RHP Logan Webb (7-6, 3.16 ERA) vs. Toronto RHP Chris Bassitt (7-5, 4.32 ERA)
Thursday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT: San Francisco TBD vs. Toronto RHP Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.60 ERA)
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Latest on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (43-36) took two of three from the Oakland Athletics over the weekend, with Sunday’s victory coming in the convincing fashion of a 12-1 rout. The club’s offence, in focus over recent weeks due to its struggles, enjoyed a strong weekend led by the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Blue Jays slugger collected six hits over 14 plate appearances in the series, showing strong signs that he’s rounding into form. He homered twice, with those long balls standing as his first at Rogers Centre this season and first since June 4.
Guerrero Jr. is undoubtedly the straw the stirs the Blue Jays lineup and if he’s locked in, that could mean good things for the club.
Latest on the Giants
San Francisco (44-34) is rolling at the moment. The club has played its past three series against the NL division-rival Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks and emerged from that stretch with an 8-2 record.
The Giants are in the process of breaking in a number of rookies — as of Sunday, the club had eight first-year players on its 26-man roster. Their lineup doesn’t feature any superstar names, which, if you remember, was a talking point in the off-season as the club pursued Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa in free agency. Despite that, the offence has been productive and features six players with more than eight home runs. Michael Conforto, who signed a two-year deal in the off-season, leads with the way with 12.
To add some context, the Giants as a team have homered 96 times this season, compared to the Blue Jays’ 89.
Right-hander Logan Webb, who will take the hill against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, might be the closest thing the club has to a star. The 26-year-old has been among the most consistent pitchers in baseball across the past two seasons and currently leads MLB with 105.1 innings. A groundball specialist, Webb owns a 3.16 ERA across his 16 starts, striking out 101 while walking just 21.
Reunion time
Blue Jays designated hitter Brandon Belt will get his first chance to face off against his former club this week. Belt, who signed with the Blue Jays in the off-season, was a fixture in the Giants organization, to say the least. He was drafted by the club and spent 12 big-league seasons in San Francisco, capturing two World Series titles and becoming a clubhouse leader along the way.
Expect to see Belt catching up with his former teammates before this week’s games. He’ll likely be joined by Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman, as well.
Gausman spent the 2020 and 2021 campaigns in San Francisco, where he essentially revived his career. He signed as a free agent with the club and used his time there to perfect the usage of his devastating fastball-splitter combo, effectively changing the course of his career.
The right-hander posted a 3.00 ERA across 45 games (43 starts) and 251.2 innings during his two seasons with the Giants. He struck out 306 batters during that span and posted an impressive ERA-plus of 139, before signing a five-year, $110-million contract with the Blue Jays in December of 2021.
On the flipside, Giants right-hander Ross Stripling will be back in Toronto, where he spent two-and-a-half seasons before joining the Giants this past winter. Stripling has largely struggled this season to the tune of a 7.24 ERA over 32.1 innings. He was activated by the club on Sunday after spending just over a month on the injured list with a back strain.
Up Next
The Blue Jays will play the division-rival Boston Red Sox for the first time at Rogers Centre this season when they open a three-game set on Friday. Saturday’s contest is the Canada Day affair, which is among the highlights on the team’s home schedule for fans. Expect big crowds and an electric atmosphere.