A challenging road trip continues for the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend when they face the American League West-leading Texas Rangers in a three-game series.
The Rangers lead the majors in runs scored and have orchestrated a huge turnaround after finishing 68-94 last year.
The Rangers haven’t had a winning season since 2016, when they were swept by the Blue Jays in the ALDS for the second year in a row.
Here’s a look at the series.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 8:05 p.m. ET / 5:05 p.m. PT: Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (5-3, 3.12 ERA) vs. LHP Martin Perez (6-2, 4.67 ERA)
Saturday, 4:05 p.m. ET / 1:05 p.m. PT: TBA vs. RHP Dane Dunning (5-1, 2.76 ERA)
Sunday, 2:35 p.m. ET / 11:35 a.m. PT: Toronto RHP Chris Bassitt (7-5, 4.02 ERA) vs. RHP Jon Gray (6-2, 2.32 ERA)
All games on Sportsnet and SN NOW.
Latest on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (38-32) started their road trip with a 2-1 series loss against the Baltimore Orioles.
A 4-2 loss in Thursday’s series finale dropped the Blue Jays to 1-5 on the year against the Orioles.
Danny Jansen provided all the offence for Toronto, hitting a pair of solo home runs.
It was the second series loss in a row for the Blue Jays, whose offence has been inconsistent recently.
The Blue Jays are fourth in the AL East, 11 games behind the MLB-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Toronto is fifth in the wild-card race, 1.5 games back of the New York Yankees for the final spot.
Latest on the Rangers
The Rangers (42-26) have cooled off a bit recently, losing six of eight.
They are coming off a 3-1 series loss against the Los Angeles Angels, who won 5-3 in the finale on Thursday in Arlington.
Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi (9-3) fell short in a bid to become the second 10-win pitcher in the majors as Shohei Ohtani notched the victory for the Angels. Ohtani also hit his 22nd home run, tied for the MLB lead.
Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien, pitching coach Mike Maddux and manager Bruce Bochy were all ejected after Semien was upset when he felt he had drawn a walk on a 3-2 count — but instead was called for going around.
Bochy, a three-time World Series-winning manager with the San Francisco Giants, came out of retirement before this season to take the Rangers’ job. He was hired by executive vice president and general manager Chris Young, who took over the top role after Jon Daniels was fired last August.
The Rangers are 3.5 games up on the Houston Astros in the race for first in the AL West.
Untimely Hitting
The Blue Jays are seventh in baseball in OPS (.762), which is respectable.
What is not as nice is their ranking with runners in scoring position — 25th, at .689.
“It seems like we’re getting guys on but not cashing in. That’s kind of been the M.O.,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after Thursday’s game.
The Rangers are third overall in OPS and first with runners in scoring position.
Rotation Shift
The Blue Jays altered their rotation on Thursday, moving up Gausman into Friday’s start (still on normal rest) and going with a bullpen day on Saturday (in place of the demoted Alek Manoah), followed by Bassitt.
The move allows the Blue Jays to potentially limit bullpen games in the near future with two off-days left in June. It also avoids fifth starter Yusei Kikuchi (Thursday’s starter) going back-to-back with a bullpen game.
Vladdy Slumping
Blue Jays first baseman Vladmir Guerrero Jr. hasn’t had an extra-base hit in his past nine games.
Guerrero did have two hits on Thursday, but had some issues with the glove, unable to field a couple balls.
Semien Surging
Semien is the leading All-Star Game vote-getter amongst second basemen in the American League.
Semien, who parlayed a big year with the Blue Jays in 2021 into a seven-year, $175-million deal with the Rangers, fell three games short of a Texas record when he had a 25-game hit streak snapped earlier this month.
He is slashing .283/.350/.472 with 10 homers and 53 RBI.
Watch Out For …
Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia, who is tied for second in the majors with 55 RBI.
The 30-year-old Cuban is a good bet to make the All-Star Game for the second time in three years.
Up Next
The Blue Jays conclude their road trip with a three-game series against the Miami Marlins (38-31).