The Blue Jays’ magical year has come down to this, the final series of the regular season. They have clinched a post-season berth but are in a race for first place and, apparently, the schedule-maker has a sense of humour.
The Jays will聽finish the season against Tampa Bay, a team that has had their number for years. The Rays held them to nine runs over four games in Florida in an agonizing series split last week. The Jays scored six of those runs in one game.
Series preview
The Jays are trying to overcome their recent offensive blackout against a team that has beaten them in seven of 10 meetings this season and held them to 2.6 runs per game.
Shane Bieber will stars for the Blue Jays against the Rays on Friday.
Steve Russell/海角社区官网StarThe Jays missed聽Adrian Houser during last week’s road split, but the right-hander has faced them twice this season while with the Chicago White Sox. Houser, who will face Shane Bieber on Friday, has a 2.03 ERA against the Jays, and in one of his starts had to run to the dugout to throw up between innings.
Bieber was originally scheduled to start Thursday against Boston but was pushed back a day to give him extra rest as he continues to recover from April 2024 Tommy John surgery.
The other two scheduled starters for the Rays, right-hander Joe Boyle and rookie left-hander Ian Seymour, combined to allow just one unearned run over 13 innings against the Jays last week.
Tampa Bay will be the first team to get a second look at Trey Yesavage, who will be making his home debut Saturday. The 22-year-old right-hander struck out nine Rays in his first big-league outing, setting a club record, but couldn’t repeat his dominance in Kansas City on Sunday, allowing four runs on five hits in four-plus innings. The Jays went on to win and clinch a playoff spot, one of only two wins in their past eight games.
The Rays come to town off a 6-5 loss in Baltimore on Thursday, the rubber match of a three-game set. Tampa Bay hasn’t won a series since sweeping Seattle at home to open the month.
First baseman Yandy Diaz, who hit .583 with a 1.389 OPS against the Jays in last week’s series split, was removed from Thursday’s game after two at-bats with groin tightness.聽
Game time, TV, probable pitchers
Friday, 7:07 p.m. on Apple TV+聽
RH聽Shane Bieber (3-2, 3.57) vs. RH Adrian Houser (8-4, 3.18)
Saturday, 3:07 p.m. on Sportsnet
RH Trey Yesavage (0-0, 5.00) vs. RH Joe Boyle (1-3, 4.40)
Sunday, 3:07 p.m. on Sportsnet
RH Kevin Gausman* (10-11, 3.47) vs. LH Ian Seymour (4-2, 2.85)
* 鈥 Gausman likely will not start if the Jays have clinched the division.
Looking ahead
We’re not sure what it is ahead at this point. Depending on the results of this series聽鈥 and the Yankees’ three games at home to Baltimore聽鈥 the Jays could wrap up the AL East by Sunday and settle in for five days off before opening an American League division series at home on Saturday night or they could be getting ready to host a wild-card series, starting Tuesday, against any of Boston, Cleveland, Detroit or Houston.聽
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