After dropping their first series since June 29-July 1, the Boston Red Sox will look to rebound from dropping two out of three to the Athletics against the Toronto Blue Jays.
A four-game series will begin on Monday night at Rogers Centre in Toronto. On Sunday, Boston interim manager Chad Tracy used a bullpen game against the Athletics, which allows Sonny Gray to begin what is a seven-game road trip.
It’ll be a matchup of two teams heading in opposite directions. Boston is holding down the second American League wild-card spot. Toronto is 3.5 games back of the Texas Rangers for the third and final wild-card spot.
Boston Red Sox Open Series Against Toronto Blue Jays on Monday Night
This will be the fourth and final series of the season between the two AL East heavyweights. Here are the probable starters for all four games beginning Monday night.
- Monday: Sonny Gray (14-2, 2.78 ERA) vs. Jameson Taillon (2-6, 5.96 ERA), 7:07 p.m.
- Tuesday: Patrick Sandoval (1-0, 3.38 ERA) vs. Dylan Cease (7-5, 2.28 ERA), 7:07 p.m.
- Wednesday: Ranger Suarez (4-4, 3.32 ERA) vs. Jose Soriano (9-6, 3.24 ERA), 7:07 p.m.
- Thursday: Payton Tolle (7-6, 3.20 ERA) vs. Max Scherzer (1-4, 7.25 ERA), 3:07 p.m.
Again, this is two teams heading in different directions. Boston is 11 games over .500 at 64-53. The Blue Jays are seven games under .500 at 56-63. Toronto is less than one year removed from losing Game 7 of the World Series last fall to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Taillon was recently acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. He has been a disappointment this season while battling an injury. This will be his second start for the Blue Jays. Gray has been Boston’s best pitcher despite not being an All-Star last month. He should be in the running for the AL Cy Young Award.
Boston will be sending three left-handers out for the final three games of the series against veteran right-handers for Toronto. Cease dominated for the Blue Jays at Fenway Park in July. He fired a complete-game one-hitter on July 25 in an impressive win over the Red Sox.
Boston Red Sox Looking To Rebound in Toronto
After four games in Toronto, the Red Sox will head to Pittsburgh for three games against the Pirates. Boston gets two teams heading in opposite directions, and it will be a good test after losing their first series in nearly six weeks.
Despite losing the final two games to the Athletics, Tracy was happy with the way his team battled down to their final out. Furthermore, they had the winning run either at the plate or on base in the bottom of the ninth of both games.
“We gave ourselves a shot both days. Played a good game, even yesterday (in a 7-3 loss), got the game with the (potential) tying run at the plate, and we just lost them,” Tracy said, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “So you move on, tip your cap and move on to Toronto.”
On to Toronto, Boston went on Sunday night for the upcoming series. However, the Red Sox are 1.5 games behind the New York Yankees for the first wild-card spot, and home-field advantage in the wild-card round come the playoffs.
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