The New York Yankees come to Toronto for a big three game series. It is early in the season but this week is setting up as a pivotal week for the Jays. Along with the Yankees, the Red Sox come to town this week and these six games could say a lot about this team. A 4-2 week, or better, will steady the ship. A 2-4 week, or worse, will raise the angst level to extra high.
The Yankees swept the Red Sox and are 8-2 over their last ten games. They now are 4.5 games ahead of the Jays, and since Tanaka has gone down injured they have been playing very well. Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner are both hitting well over .300 and making trouble for opponents from the top of the order. The Yankees have scored 124 runs, twenty less than the Blue Jays. With only 93 runs allowed the New Yorkers lead the AL East in run prevention. The starting pitching has been good but the bullpen has been excellent, particularly Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances, both with their zero ERA's.
What do the Jays have to counter with? The offense is fine, leading the major leagues in run scoring. Some hitters are hot, some are cold, but that happens over the course of a season. The starting pitching has been terrible. Over the next six games RA Dickey gets two starts and Mark Buehrle one. Can the veterans get back on track? The recovery of the starting pitching starts with them. Drew Hutchison seems to be in a mental funk, he might need two or three starts in AAA just to fix himself with no pressure. Who knows what Marco Estrada will do.
I said at the top that a 4-2 week will steady the ship and stop the lemmings jumping off the cliff (mixed metaphors are free today only!). The offense can get us there. For the starting pitching to support the offense we need three struggling starters to fix themselves and Estrada to arrive with a bang. It's odd that suddenly Aaron Sanchez is our best starter.
So with all the comings and goings who is left in the bullpen? Brett Cecil is your closer. Roberto Usna is trusted by Gibbons. Aaron Loup and Liam Hendricks are almost trusted by Gibby, but maybe not 100%. Jeff Francis and Chad Jenkins are your long men. Steve Delabar is here on a trial, he needs to hit the ground running or else he will be back in Buffalo. If the starters go five innings, can the Jays win with Jenkins, Delabar and Francis?
Here are some other things to watch this series:
How will the Yankees pitch to Devon Travis? I always find the Yankees advanced scouting to be the best in the leagues. If Travis has a weakness the Yankees will try and go there.
What will Estrada do as a starter against the experienced New York line-up?
Buehrle famously never throws between starts. How does he fix himself if he keeps that habit?
Can the Jays win this series with Dickey, Estrada and Buehrle starting?
Even though the Jays are just two games over .500 it does not feel like that. It feels like the season hangs by a thread. It doesn't really but a bad week could lead to changes in the dugout, whether that be Gibbons or Walker.
Your matchups:
Chase Whitley vs. RA Dickey
Michael Pineda vs. Marco Estrada
CC Sabbathia vs. Mark Buehrle
Are you confident?
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20150504141804991