TORONTO BLUE JAYS NOTES:
THE LATEST: The Blue Jays played a close game through seven innings in Houston on Wednesday until they allowed six runs in the 8th, leading to an 8-1 loss…Have allowed 6+ runs in two innings this season, both as part of that three-game series with the Astros (also: 7R 1st inning on April 17). Toronto is now 1-2 in rubber games and 2-4 in series finales…Had its four-series win streak snapped…Has still won 10 of its last 15 contests.
ALL-EJANDRO ABOARD: Alejandro Kirk went 1-for-3 via an 8th-inning single Wednesday night…Was lifted for pinch-runner Santiago Espinal who scored Toronto’s lone run of the night. The All-Star catcher has reached base in all 14 of his games with an at-bat for a .370 OBP while going 11- for-44 (.250) with a homer, nine RBI, and an 8BB/9K ratio…Last season, struck out just 58 times over 541 PA while drawing 63 walks as his 9.33 PA/K was 4th best among qualified MLB hitters.
TWO-HIT WHIT: Whit Merrifield drove in Toronto’s run on Wednesday with a double in the 8th, his 4th double of the season… Also singled to finish 2-for-4 for his 4th multi-hit game of the season, three of which have come in his last three contests…Extended his hitting streak to seven games, going 11-for-27 (.407) with three doubles and five RBI over that stretch (.911 OPS)…Has reached base safely in all 14 of his games played this season, batting .314 (16-for-51) with four doubles, seven RBI, and three walks.
A BERRÍ GOOD OUTING: José Berríos allowed two runs in the 2nd inning and nothing more through a season-high 7.0 frames of work on Wednesday…Allowed three hits and a walk while striking out three batters on 77 pitches (52 strikes)…Was his longest outing since July 31, 2022 vs. DET (7.0 IP)…Has allowed three earned runs over 12.0 innings in his last two starts after allowing 12 over 9.2 innings in his first two starts.
AN EXTRAS-SPECIAL START: Matt Chapman has 14 extra-base hits to lead the Majors (2nd: Rafael Devers/J.D. Martinez – 13)…Is batting .397 (27-for-68) with nine doubles, five homers, seven walks, and 17 RBI…His .750 SLG, his 1.211 OPS, and his 51 total bases are all the highest in the Majors…Ranks 1st in the AL in batting average, OBP (.461), and doubles while sitting 2nd in hits and 7th in RBI. The 29-year-old also leads all MLB hitters in barrel rate (23.7%), hard-hit (95+ MPH) percentage (65.4) and is 2nd in average exit velocity (97.0 MPH)…Boasts a 1.4 fWAR, the highest in the AL (2nd: Gerrit Cole – 1.3).
ROMANO-MATIC: Jordan Romano has closed out each of Toronto’s last three victories…All nine of his appearances have come in Blue Jays wins…Has seven saves to lead the Majors…Led the AL last year with 10 saves in the opening month of the season.
HITTING THE ROAD: The Blue Jays are on a six-game road trip (1-2 so far), holding a 7-6 record while away from Rogers Centre… Their 13 road games played are tied for the most in the AL…After this weekend set in New York, will return home for a six-game homestand to battle the White Sox (7-12) and Mariners (8-11) for three games apiece. Toronto’s .538 road win% currently ranks T-6th in the AL…Blue Jays hitters lead the AL in road hits (123) while ranking 2nd in AVG (.266), 5th in OBP (.330), 6th in OPS (.734), and 7th in SLG (.404)…The pitching staff ranks 13th in the AL in road ERA (5.54), 13th in opponents’ batting average (.267), and 12th in WHIP (1.41).
HITTING IT: The Blue Jays have notched 173 hits so far this season, 2nd most in the AL (1st: TB – 188)…Are also 2nd in the AL in team batting average (.263), 3rd in OBP (.332), 5th in OPS (.747), and 7th in SLG (.400)… Have had 243 batters reach base safely (T-3rd in the AL)…Had their streak of 33 games with 8+ runners on base ended on Wednesday (seven runners on base), which was the longest active streak of all MLB clubs.
BO KNOWS BASE HITS: Bo Bichette has gone 29-for-82 (.354) with four doubles, four homers, and 12 RBI while playing in all 19 games this season…The 29 hits are the most in the AL (2nd: Matt Chapman – 27)…Among AL batters, currently ranks 3rd in AVG, 3rd in total bases (45), and 11th in SLG (.549).
READY TO REBOUND: Toronto has lost consecutive games just twice this season…Since 2021, is 88-60 following a loss for a .595 win%, 2nd best among AL clubs behind Houston’s .617 (82-51) mark (courtesy Stats Perform).
AN EARTHY TONE: The Blue Jays have been awarded the Green Glove Award for the AL East for the 4th consecutive year… This award goes to the club with the highest rate of waste diverted away from landfills through recycling, composting, and donation efforts…The club’s impact through day-to-day operations during recent construction has helped divert approximately 1,791 metric tonnes (3,949,845 pounds) of waste from landfills.
VS. THE YANKEES: All-Time: 315-384
2022: 8-11 Road: 148-202
Road: 1-1 Yankee Stadium: 48-78
The Blue Jays went 8-11 in their 19 meetings with the Yankees last season but were an even 5-5 while in the Bronx…Have won five of the last eight matchups overall…Are equal at 24-24 vs. NYY since the start of the 2020 season. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 19-for-73 (.260) with four
doubles, five homers, and 13 RBI in the 19 games vs. New York last year…Is a lifetime .289 (72-for-249) hitter against the Pinstripes, with 14 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs, and 41 RBI in 65 meetings (.864 OPS)…Has gone 35-for-121 (.289) with five doubles, 10 homers, and 17 RBI in his 31 games at Yankee Stadium (.922 OPS).
Bo Bichette played in 18 of the games vs. NYY last year, going 22-for-77 (.286) with seven doubles and three RBI…Hold a career average of .316 (66-for209) across 51 games vs. the Yankees, including 17 doubles, 10 home runs, and 33 RBI (.893 OPS).
Keivn Kiermaier leads all current Blue Jays with 107 career games vs. New York…Has hit .234 (86-for367) with 11 doubles, six triples, 13 homers, and 28 RBI in those contests.
STARTING PITCHER – Yusei Kikuchi, LHP #16
TODAY’S GAME:
Making his 4th start of the season and his 3rd on the road…Improved to 2-0 his last time out, on 4/15 vs. TB, throwing 6.0 innings of one-run ball with 4 hits, a walk, and a season-high 9 strikeouts…Marked his most punchouts in a single game as a Blue Jay…Completed 6.0 frames for the 1st time since 6/30/22 vs. TB. Over 7 Grapefruit League appearances this year (6 starts), went 2-1 with a 0.87 ERA (2 ER/20.2 IP), 10 walks, and 31 strikeouts…Led all qualified hurlers in Spring Training ERA and punchouts, while ranking 2nd in OPP AVG (.130) and 4th in WHIP (0.92).
2023 HIGHLIGHTS:
Took a no-decision on 4/9 at LAA, giving up 6 runs on 9 hits and a walk over 4.1 innings with 6 strikeouts…Threw 99 pitches (59 strikes) on the day, his most pitches in a single outing since 7/28/21 vs. HOU (101). Picked up the win in his season debut on 4/4 at KC, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball with 3 hits, a walk, and 2 strikeouts…Was his 1st start since 8/15/22 vs. BAL, and his 1st win as a starter since 7/28/22 vs. DET.
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their season-high 10-game homestand tonight with the first game of a three-game series vs. Toronto (through Sun.)…are 4-3 on the homestand after splitting their four-game set with Minnesota and winning two-of-three vs. Los Angeles-AL…following this homestand, will embark on a seven-game road trip to Minnesota (3G from Mon.-Wed.) and Texas (4/27-30).
Have scored first in 12 of their 19 games this season, going 9-3 in those games.
Have won four of their last five games…are 6-3 in their last nine games (since 4/11) and 8-4 in their last 12 games (since 4/8).
Their 12-7 (.632) record is the third-best in the AL.
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees clinched a series win with a 9-3 victory over the Angels on Thursday at Yankee Stadium… LHP Nestor Cortes (6.0IP, 4H, 3ER, 2BB, 7K, 0HR, 1HP) started and recorded his third win of the season…C Jose Trevino (1-for-4, 1 double, 3RBI, 1BB) hit a bases-clearing double in the first inning…1B Anthony Rizzo (3-for-3, 2R, 1RBI, 2BB) reached base a career-high-tying five times and tied his season high in hits…2B Oswald Peraza (1-for-4, 1R, 2RBI, 1BB) drew a bases-load walk in the first inning and hit an RBI single in the eighth…CF Isiah Kiner-Falefa (1-for-3, 2RBI, 1BB) hit a two-run single in the seventh inning…3B DJ LeMahieu (1-for-3, 2R, 1 double, 1RBI, 1BB, 1HP) reached base a season-high-tying three times and hit an RBI double in the seventh…RHP Ron Marinaccio (0.2IP, 1H, 1K), LHP Wandy Peralta (0.1IP, 1H, 1BB), RHP Ian Hamilton (1.0IP) and RHP Greg Weissert (1.0IP, 1H, 1K) combined to toss 3.0 scoreless innings of relief.
SERIES BUSINESS: The Yankees have won or split each of their first six series of a season for just the third time in the last 67 years (since 1957)…won or split each of their first nine series in 2003 and their first six series in 1976 (credit: Elias).
Are 10-0 in games this season when facing a series loss.
GOT YOUR NUMBER: INF Gleyber Torres has hit .444/.444/.667 (8-for-18) with 1 double and 1HR in his career off Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi…INF DJ LeMahieu owns a career .368/.455/.474 slash line with 2 doubles and 3BB off Kikuchi.
PITCH PERFECT: Yankees pitchers have allowed just 59R in 19 games this season (3.11 R/G), matching their fewest runs allowed through their first 19 games in a season in the last 59 years since 1965 (also 59R in 2022)…have allowed 3R-or-fewer in 13-of-19 games this season and 2R-orfewer in nine of those games.
Their 3.02 ERA is the second-lowest in the AL and third-lowest in the Majors.
Also rank second in the Majors in opponents’ OPS (.628), third in opponents’ BA (.213), opponents’ OBP (.288), opponents’ SLG (.340), WHIP (1.10) and K/9.0IP (9.90), tied for third in strikeouts (187), fourth in K/BB (3.34) and fifth in HR/9.0IP (0.74).
Have allowed just 1HR in their last five games.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Yankees have scored in the first inning in nine of their 19 games, with 17 of their 88R coming in the first inning…their 17R in the first inning are tied for the fourth-most in the Majors.
Are 6-3 when scoring in the first inning.
WALK IT OUT: Yankees batters recorded a season-high 11BB on Thursday, marking just the third time since 2018 the club walked at least 11 times in a game (also 14BB on 7/11/21 at Houston and 11BB on 6/23/21 vs. Kansas City)…recorded 23BB in their three-game series vs. the Angels after recording 50BB in their first 16 games of the season.
INF Gleyber Torres has 15BB in 19 games this season, tied for the second-most in the AL and tied for the fourth-most in the Majors…did not record his 15th walk in 2022 until 64th game on 6/23/22 vs. Houston.
INF Anthony Volpe and OF Aaron Judge are tied for fifth in the AL with 13BB.
HIP HIP JOSE: C Jose Trevino hit a bases-clearing double in the first inning on Thursday…is 5-for-15 with 1 double and 5RBI with RISP this season…as a Yankee (since 2022), has hit .352 (38-for-108) with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 2HR, 6BB and 1HP with runners in scoring position.
Yankees catchers are tied for fourth in the AL and tied for sixth in the Majors with 11RBI this season.
NOBODY BEATS THE RIZZ: INF Anthony Rizzo reached base a career-high-tying five times on Thursday vs. Los Angeles-AL (10th time, first since 7/31/21 at Miami), going 3-for-3 with 2R, 1RBI and 2BB…has reached base in each of his last eight plate appearances (4H, 3BB, 1HP).
Has reached base in 17 of his first 18 games this season, batting .344/.449/.578 (22-for-64) with 10R, 3 doubles, 4HR, 10RBI, 9BB, 4HP and 1SF.
Ranks second in the AL and tied for fifth in the Majors in OBP (.449)…also ranks third in the AL in OPS (1.027), tied for third in HP (4) and fourth in BA (.344).
Needs two hits to reach 1,500 career hits…needs 1RBI for 900 career RBI.
Owns a seven-game hitting streak (since 4/13)…is hitting .440/.533/.840 (11-for-25) with 5R, 1 double, 3HR, 4RBI, 3BB and 2HP in that stretch.
BABY BOMBERS: INF Oswald Peraza (22y, 310d) and INF Anthony Volpe (21y, 358d) have both been in the Yankees’ starting lineups in two of the last three games (Tuesday and Thursday)…the Yankees’ last series marked the first time the club had two players age 22-or-younger in the starting lineup since 8/3/17 at Cleveland (Tyler Wade-22y, 253d; Clint Frazier22y, 331d).
FAST AND FURIOUS: Yankees baserunners rank third in the AL and sixth in the Majors with 20SB…their 20SB mark their most through their first 19 games of a season in their last 25 years since 1999 and are their second-most through their first 19 games of a season in their last 34 seasons (since 1990), trailing only their 35SB in 1998. Have 8SB in their last six games.
Did not record their 20th stolen base in 2022 until their 33rd game of the season on 5/14/22 at Chicago-AL
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP DOMINGO GERMÁN (1-1, 3.86 ERA)
RHP Domingo Germán will make his fourth start of the season tonight vs. Toronto…the 30-year-old will start on extended five days’ rest due to Monday’s team off day…earned his first win of the season last Saturday vs. Minnesota after recording a career-high 11K (6.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB)…marked his third career double-digit strikeout game (also 10K on 7/25/21 at Boston and 6/14/18 vs. Tampa Bay) and the first time in his career he’s recorded at least 10K without surrendering a walk…also marked his second start this season with at least 8K and 0BB allowed (8K and 0BB on 4/4 vs. Philadelphia)…in 2022, went 2-5 with a 3.61 ERA (72.1IP, 65H, 31R/29ER, 19BB, 58K, 11HR) in 15 games (14 starts) with the Yankees…allowed 3R-or-fewer in a career-high 12 consecutive starts from 7/27-9/30/22…missed the first 93 games of the season with right shoulder impingement syndrome…in six seasons with the Yankees, is 27-22 with a 4.36 ERA (427.2IP, 207ER) and 448K in 95 career games (73 starts)…was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent on 12/11/15…was originally acquired by the Yankees from the Miami Marlins along with RHP Nathan Eovaldi and INF Garrett Jones in exchange for RHP David Phelps and INF Martín Prado on 12/19/14.
LAST TIME OUT: Earned his first win of the season last Saturday vs. Minnesota after recording a career-high 11K (6.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB)…marked his third career double-digit strikeout game (also 10K on 7/25/21 at Boston and 6/14/18 vs. Tampa Bay)…marked the first time in his career he’s recorded at least 10K without surrendering a walk…marked his fifth career start with at least 8K and 0BB allowed, including his second this season (8K and 0BB on 4/4 vs. Philadelphia)…is the first Yankee to record at least 10K and 0BB in a game this season and the first since Gerrit Cole did so on 7/17/22 vs. Boston (12K and 0BB)…tossed 5.1 perfect innings before allowing a one-out single to Christian Vázquez in the sixth inning…his 11K matched the most by a Yankees pitcher this season (also Gerrit Cole on Opening Day vs. San Francisco).
VS. TORONTO: Is 2-4 with a 3.72 ERA (29.0IP, 12ER) in seven career games (five starts) vs. Toronto…last faced the Blue Jays in Game 1 of a doubleheader on 5/27/21 at Yankee Stadium and took the loss, despite allowing just 2ER over 5.2IP (3H, 2BB, 5K, 1HP).
Has made five career appearances (three starts) vs. Toronto at Yankee Stadium, going 1-4 with a 4.00 ERA (18.0IP, 8ER) and 20K.
In three career starts vs. Toronto at Yankee Stadium, is 1-2 with a 3.07 ERA (14.2IP, 5ER) and 14K…has allowed 3R-or-fewer in each of his three home starts vs. the Blue Jays.
In 15 career starts at home against AL East opponents, is 6-3 with a 3.46 ERA (78.0IP, 30ER) and 85K…has allowed 3R-or-fewer in each of those 15 starts, including 2R-or-fewer in nine starts and 1R-or-fewer in four starts.
HOME SWEET HOME: Has gone 13-9 with a 3.86 ERA (205.1IP, 158H, 93R/88ER, 70BB, 233K, 40HR) in 46 career games (35 starts) at Yankee Stadium…has allowed 3ER-or-fewer in 31 of his 35 home starts.
Has held opponents to a .207 BA (158-for-762) at Yankee Stadium in his career, compared to a .253 BA (222-for-878) on the road.
Has surrendered 3R-or-fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts at home (since 6/30/21 vs. Los Angeles-AL), including six starts with 2R-or-fewer allowed.
His 11 wins at Yankee Stadium since 2019 are tied with Nestor Cortes and Masahiro Tanaka for the third-most wins by any pitcher during that span, trailing only Gerrit Cole (18) and Jameson Taillon (12).
2023: Will make his fourth start of the season…is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA (14.0IP, 6ER) and 19K in three starts this season…has recorded at least 8K with 0BB in two starts.
Has allowed 1ER-or-fewer in each of his last two starts (since 4/10 at Cleveland)…is tied for the longest such streak of his career and marks the sixth time he’s recorded consecutive such starts.
His 19K are tied for the most strikeouts through his first three starts of a season in his career (also had 19K through his first three starts in 2019).
Has allowed 1BB-or-fewer in 10 of his last 14 starts (since 8/6/22 at St. Louis).
Did not record a decision on 4/10 at Cleveland after allowing 2R/1ER over 3.0IP (2H, 5BB, 0K)…his 5BB allowed tied a career high (also 5BB on 4/1/19 vs. Detroit)…also marked his first career start with 0K.
Made his season debut on 4/4 vs. Philadelphia and took the loss, allowing 4ER over 4.2IP (4H, 0BB, 8K, 2HR)…his 8K were his most in a game since recording 10K on 7/25/21 at Boston.
