After their club-record-tying 45th come-from-behind victory of the season Saturday, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 win, the Blue Jays will bring their brooms to the ballpark Sunday, looking to sweep the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Here’s what you need to know.
It’s not unusual for the baseball knowledge of Canadian fans to be disparaged in our hockey-mad nation.
Game preview
Shane Bieber makes his fifth start of the season for the Jays. Results have been mixed for the former all-star and Cy Young award winner, who is only 17 months removed from 2024 Tommy John surgery.
After dominating Miami in his first start and shutting out the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers into the sixth inning in his next, the right-hander has allowed eight runs over his last two appearances. The damage has come early, with two runs in the first in his last start against the Houston Astros to open the current homestand, and five runs in the second in the start prior, in Cincinnati on Sept. 3. The Jays rallied to win both those games and have come out on the right side of three of Bieber’s four starts.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Albert Suarez, who was up in the bullpen Saturday after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slammed a 112.5 miles per hour line drive off starter Tomoyuki Sugano’s ankle in the first inning but didn’t come in, will get the bulk of the work in a bullpen day for the Orioles on Sunday.
The 35-year-old Venezuelan returned to the major leagues last season after spending six years pitching in Japan and Korea. He’s made four appearances this season, all in relief, and posted a 2.08 ERA in 8 2/3 innings.
The Jays and Orioles have split their first 12 games this season. Sunday’s will be their final meeting.
Game time, TV, probable pitchers
Sunday, 1:37 p.m. ET on Sportsnet:聽Albert Suarez (2-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. Shane Bieber (2-1, 4.30 ERA)
Looking ahead
The Jays will begin a four-game series on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday before visiting the Kansas City Royals next weekend.
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
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