Blue Jays preview: Trey Yesavage looks to repeat MLB debut but will need Toronto’s bats to heat up
Rookie struck out nine in tremendous first start but will need offence to pitch in after scoring only three runs during club’s four-game losing streak.
The Blue Jays had their first chance to clinch a playoff spot on their own Saturday and failed miserably, scoring only one run in extending their poorly-timed losing streak to four games.聽
The Jays are on a four-game losing streak, and losing ground to Yankees as AL East standings tighten.Not only did聽the Blue Jays聽fail to clinch a
They’ll finish up their final road trip of the regular season Sunday hoping to not only secure that spot聽鈥 it would be their third in four seasons and fourth in six聽鈥 but also to avoid getting swept for the first time since June 13-15 when they dropped three straight in Philadelphia.
The Jays have had only one five-game losing streak this season, from April 19 to 23 against Seattle and Houston, and none longer than that.
The right-hander set a franchise record Monday with nine strikeouts in his major-league debut, including being one pitch away from an immaculate inning in the fourth. This for a kid in his first season as a pro, pitching at his fifth different level of the Jays’ organization this year.聽
But even if Yesavage is as good as he was last time out, allowing one run on three hits over five-plus innings, he’s going to need some help from the bats, which have gone missing over the past few days.
The Jays scored once each in the first two games of the series, each time on a solo home run聽鈥 Friday’s by George Springer leading off the game (which the Royals answered by scoring 20 runs) and Saturday’s by Daulton Varsho. They were shut out in Tampa on Thursday after managing just one unearned run Wednesday.聽
Over the four-game slide, they’ve notched only 15 hits, for a team batting average of .126. They’re 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position over that span, with the five in that equation being much uglier than the zero.
Kansas City answers with right-hander Michael Wacha, who is coming off his career-high 12th loss of the season, a game in which he allowed seven runs over just 2 2/3 innings to the Seattle Mariners.
Today, 2:10 p.m. on Sportsnet: RHP Trey Yesavage (0-0, 1.80) vs. RHP Michael Wacha (9-12, 3.79)
Looking ahead
Following this series, the Jays will return home for the final week of the regular season to play three games each against the Red Sox and Rays. After that, they likely will be staying at home to prepare for their first playoff opponent.
Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star
and host of the baseball podcast 鈥淒eep Left Field.鈥 Follow him on
Bluesky:
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation