Hot Jays host Bosox as playoff drive begins
On a Blue Jays team stacked with potential but still with much left to do, the first of what could be many big series down the stretch has arrived.
After a 3-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night at the Rogers Centre, the Red Sox are due to arrive at the downtown Toronto stadium for a four-game weekend set beginning Friday.
It may not be a series that decides the Jays' fate, but it will be a telling tale of where the team fits in the early stages of what's starting to project as a compelling stretch drive.
Can the revamped Jays rotation hold up against a division rival well above them — although the margin is rapidly narrowing — in the standings?
Can the bullpen get through a clutch series without wobbles and become a consistent strength rather than a question mark? And can the electric offence produce against a Red Sox team that won't have the vocal support it did in Buffalo and will be living under a modified quarantine program in Toronto?
Players will never place too much emphasis on a series in August, but now settled at home and poised to make its biggest winning run of the season to date, you can bet players are well aware of the looming significance.
“Of course,” Jays second baseman Marcus Semien said when asked about the conclusion of the first home stand here in almost two years. “Now you start to look at the standings a little more. I know we're not in September yet, and we don't want to look at the standings every day, but we do know we can gain ground if we get a win playing the team that you're chasing.”
Manager Charlie Montoyo and his staff certainly are treating the series with the respect it calls for, manipulating the rotation to have their four best arms ready for the Red Sox.
Rookie Alek Manoah will get it started on Friday, followed by Robbie Ray and newcomer Jose Berrios for Saturday's split doubleheader, leaving Hyun-jin Ryu to finish things up on Sunday.
“That's going to be an exciting four games, a big weekend series against Boston,” Jays pitching coach Pete Walker said.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, have faltered of late, losing seven of their past 10, including an 8-1 drubbing courtesy of the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
That slide has ceded the AL East lead to the Rays and has brought both the Jays and Yankees within shouting distance of Boston, who are now just five games up on Toronto.
The trick for the Jays will be to turn this decent run into a sustained drive. Winners of eight of their past 10, they've improved their record to 57-49.