TORONTO BLUE JAYS NOTES:
THE LATEST: The Blue Jays brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the 9th inning yesterday, but were unable to complete the comeback, losing to the Rangers, 4-2, in the middle match of their three-game series…Outhit the Rangers by a 9-8 margin, losing for the 7th time this season when outhitting their opponent (30-7). Toronto has lost five of its last eight games, but has still gone 10-6 over its last 16 games and 13-8 over the last 21…With a win today, can improve to 5-3 in rubber games and 14-9-0 in series play (7-6-0 on the road).
WELCOME TO THE ‘SHO: Daulton Varsho crushed his 12th home run of the season yesterday, sending a solo shot to the seats in right in the top of the 4th frame…All 12 homers have come against right-handed pitchers, tied for the 5thmost jacks vs. RHP among AL hitters…Also singled in the 1st inning, part of a 2-for-3 effort, his 16th multi-hit game of the year…Since June 3rd, has gone 14-for-45 (.311) with two doubles, three home runs, and three RBI (.556 SLG, .971 OPS). The 26-year old has hit .280 (42-for-150) away from Rogers Centre this year, notching nine doubles, nine homers, and 23 RBI…His road OPS (.857) this season is now 341 points better than his home OPS (.516).
VLAD TO THE BONE: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. opened the scoring on Saturday with an RBI single in the 1st inning…Later walked in the 6th and singled again in the 9th, finishing the game 2-for-3…Was his 19th multi-hit game of the season… His 76 hits are tied for 6th most in the AL. All three balls the 24-year old put in play yesterday left his bat at more than 95mph…Has recorded an AL-leading 127 hard-hit balls this season, trailing only Ronald Acuña Jr.’s 136 for the most in MLB.
WE’RE GOING STREAKING: Whit Merrifield extended his hitting streak to nine games with an 8th-inning single yesterday…Has gone 12-for-32 (.375) over that stretch with a pair of doubles and a pair of RBI (.882 OPS)…With a hit today, can become the 5th player in the Majors this season with multiple hitting streaks of at least 10 games. Since May 19th, is hitting .367 (36-for-98) with six doubles, a homer, 10 RBI, and eight walks (.426 OBP, .885 OPS) in 28 games…Over that span, ranks 2nd in the Majors in batting average (Luis Arraez – .402)…On the season, sits 4th in the AL in AVG (.307) and 5th in stolen bases (18).
PULLING DOUBLE DUTY: Bo Bichette notched his 15th double of the season in the 1st inning on Saturday…Doubled in four straight games for the first time this season and the 3rd time in his career (last: 4G from May 24-28, 2022)…The only longer double streak in his career was a franchise-best nine-gamer in his rookie season (July 31-Aug. 8, 2019), which began in his 3rd career MLB game. The shortstop is currently tied with Luis Arraez for the MLB lead in hits (97)…His .316 batting average also ranks 1st in the AL (4th in MLB), while he ranks 2nd in total bases (156), 5th in SLG (.508), 8th in OPS (.854), T-8th in home runs (14), T-8th in XBH (30), and 10th in RBI (44).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Blue Jays are off on a three-city, nine-day road trip (2-3 so far)…Own a 20-20 road record this season for a .500 win% (7th in the AL)…After this trio of games against the Rangers, will head out for three contests in Miami (40-31). Blue Jays hitters lead the Majors in road AVG (.264)…Rank 1st among AL clubs in road hits (373), 2nd in road SLG (.434), 2nd in road OPS (.762), and 3rd in road OBP (.328)…The pitching staff ranks 9th in the AL in road ERA (4.33), 12th in road WHIP (1.36), and 12th in road opponents’ AVG (.259).
GEORGE GETS ON: George Springer singled in each of his first two at-bats on Saturday, finishing the day 2-for-4…Marked his 19th multi-hit game of the season. Since May 19th, the Connecticut native has gone 33- for-107 (.308) with eight doubles, a triple, five home runs, 11 RBI, and 11 walks during his 28 contests… Over that span, ranks 5th among AL hitters in OPS (.920), T-5th in total bases (58), T-6th in times on base (45), and 12th in OBP (.378).
LAYING OFF THE DONUTS: The Blue Jays have notched 655 hits this season, behind only Texas (660) for the most in the Majors… Are currently 2nd in the AL in team AVG (.263), 4th in OBP (.331), 5th in OPS (.751), 6th in SLG (.420), and 6th in extra-base hits (219). The Blue Jays are one of two MLB teams to have scored in every game this season (also: ARI)…Have gone 90 straight games without being shut out, the longest active streak in the Majors (2nd: ARI – 72G)…Is their 3rd-longest such streak in franchise history, and their longest since scoring in 93 consecutive games from April 13-July 15, 1986.
VS. THE RANGERS: All-Time: 227-217
2023: 1-1 Road: 99-128
Road: 1-1 Globe Life Field: 4-4
The Blue Jays went 4-2 against the Rangers last season, taking two of three in both teams ballparks… Averaged 10 hits and six runs per game, but were outscored, 37-36, over the six contests…Have not lost a season series against Texas since going 3-6 back in 2012.
Danny Jansen recorded multiple hits in all four of his starts against the Rangers last year, going a combined 10-for-16 (.625) with a double, three homers, and five RBI…Has made 13 career starts vs. TEX, batting .404 (19-for-47) with two doubles, six homers, and 11 RBI (1.258 OPS)…His career .830 SLG% vs. TEX is the highest mark among active players (min. 40 PA) against the Rangers, and is his highest against any single opponent (2nd: .725 vs. CWS).
Bo Bichette also notched four multi-hit efforts against the Rangers last season, hitting .385 (10-for-26) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, and five RBI… Has hit safely in 14 of his 17 career games vs. TEX, going 24-for-71 (.338) with 13 extra-base hits and 11 RBI (1.013 OPS).
George Springer leads all current Blue Jays with 108 career games against the Rangers, batting .264 (114- for-432) with 16 doubles, a triple, 28 home runs, and 65 RBI for a .500 SLG and an .854 OPS.
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas bested the Jays yesterday, 4-2, and now have a 2-4 record on this 7-G, 7-day homestand vs. LAA (1-3) and TOR (1-1 + 2 G)…Rangers have dropped 2 of 3, 5 of 7, and 7 of the last 10 G beg. 6/7, this after a 26-9 (.743) span from 4/28-6/6 in which TEX had MLB’s best record…team is 8-7 in June, and has still won 10 of 18, 14 of 23, 17 of 27, and 25 of last 39 G…team still has a 29-16 (.636) record since 4/28, tied w/ ARI for best in MLB over that stretch, and TEX has a +90 run differential in that span…TEX is 35-21 in last 56 G and 39-23 last 62 G beg. 4/9.
- At 43-27 (.614), TEX owns the T3rd-best record in MLB (TB 51-23, .689; ATL 45-26, .634)…club’s 43 wins rank T3rd in MLB (51-TB, 45-ATL, 43-TEX/ARI/BAL).
- The 43-27 start is T2nd-best 70-G start to a season in WSH/TEX franchise history (see chart below).
- TEX is 16 G above .500, 4 shy of season high point of 20-over after win 6/6 vs. STL (40-20)…it was team’s most games above .500 since end of 2016 (95-67) and the earliest date/fewest games (6/6 and 60 G) ever to reach that mark.
SERIES STUFF: TEX has lost back-to-back series (1-3 vs. LAA, 6/12-15 and 1-2 at TB, 6/9-11), and needs a win in today’s series finale to avoid a 3rd straight series setback…this is the 2nd time in ’23 for TEX to drop 2 series in a row (also 1-2 vs. BAL, 4/3-5 and 1-2 at CHC, 4/7-9)…the 2 straight series losses come on the heels of 6 consecutive series victories from 5/19-6/7 (longest span for team since club-record 10 straight series victories from 5/20-6/20/16)…it also ended a span in which TEX had won a franchise record 6 straight road series…TEX is 5-2 in series rubber games in ’23.
- The Rangers are 15-6-1 overall in series this year, going 7-3-1 at home and 8-3-0 on the road…team is 11-3-1 in last 15 series and 14-4-1 in last 19…TEX has gone 6-2-1 in last 9 series at GLF.
AT HOME: TEX is 23-13 (.639) at home, 2nd-best home record in A.L./MLB (TB: .816, 31-7)…marks TEX’s best 36-G start at home since 2019 (.667, 24-12)…club is 2-5 in last 7 G at home, but has still won 10 of 15, 11 of 17, 15 of 23, and 20 of last 31 at GLF beg. 4/5…TEX is 109-119 all-time record at GLF (2020-23), 29-20 last 49 G here beg. 9/11/22.
- Texas leads MLB in R (226) and R/G (6.28) at home in 2023…club’s 59 HR at home in 2023 are T3rd-most in MLB to only Tampa Bay (62) and New York-AL (61).
VS. TORONTO: The Rangers have gone 1-1 in first 2 G of this 3-G set with Toronto, 1st of 2 series in ’23 (also 9/11-13 at TOR)…team finished 2-4 against the Blue Jays in 2022, and have lost 8 of their last 11 G dating back to 7/16/21… TEX has not won a season series against TOR since 2012 (6-3), as Rangers are 0-7-2 in season series vs. Jays beg. 2013…TEX has gone 8-12 vs. TOR since the start of ’19, going 6-5 at home and 2-7 on the road…also 14-17 vs. Jays since 5/28/17.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY: Today, the 3rd Sunday of the month of June, is Father’s Day…the Rangers are 18-32 all-time on Father’s Day, losing 3 straight and 7 of the last 9.
WHEN YOU WERE JUNG: Josh Jung blasted his 14th home run of the season in the 2nd inning yesterday…his 14 HR lead A.L. rookies, ranking 2nd among MLB rooks to ARI’s Corbin Carroll (15)…it is the T3rd-highest HR total ever by a Rangers rookie prior to the All-Star break (see
chart), and the most single-season HR by a Texas rookie infielder since Ronald Guzmán in 2018 (16 HR)…Jung’s ranks among A.L. rookies
in 2023: HR (1st), RBI (1st, 42), TB (1st, 131), XBH (1st, 29), SLG (1st, .502), BA (2nd, .280), OPS (2nd, .839).
MOST HOME RUNS BY A TEXAS ROOKIE PRIOR TO THE ALL-STAR BREAK
Washington/Texas franchise history (beg. 1961)
Player, Year HR Total
Adolis García, 2021 22
Pete Incaviglia, 1986 16
Josh Jung, 2023 14
Mark Teixeira, 2003 14
David Murphy, 2008 13
GRAY DAY: Jon Gray enters today’s scheduled start sporting a 6-2 record and 2.32 ERA (19 ER/73.2 IP), which ranks 3rd among A.L. qualifiers to only TB’s Shane McClanahan (2.12) and HOU’s Framber Valdez (2.27)…Gray is 5-1, 0.84 ERA (4 ER/43.0 IP) in his last 6 starts (beg. 5/8), ranking among ML qualifiers over that period in ERA (1st), WHIP (1st, 0.65), opp. BA (2nd, .154), opp. OPS (2nd, .449), and wins (T2nd)…he has 5.0+ IP and one-or-zero runs allowed in each of his last 6 starts, the longest such streak in WSH/TEX franchise history…previous franchise record of 5 straight starts w/ 5.0+ IP and one-or-zero R allowed was shared by Fergie Jenkins (8/27-9/13/74) and Tom Cheney (9/30/62-5/1/63).
ARM BARNYARD: The Texas bullpen has posted back-to-back games with 3.0 SHO IP, and is scoreless in its last 7.0 IP dating back to Thursday…Rangers relievers have combined for a 3.75 ERA (30 ER/72.0 IP) over their last 21 G (beg. 5/24), ranking among A.L. relief units in opp. OPS (1st, .604), WHIP (1st, 1.07), and opp. BA (5th, .212) over that span.
- With 2.0 SHO IP in yesterday’s win, Josh Sborz has now been scoreless in his last 7 G (11.2 IP) to lower his season ERA from 5.06 to 2.93…it is the T3rd-longest active scoreless innings streak in the A.L.
ADOLIS IN THE OUTFIELD: Adolis García recorded his MLB-leading 10th outfield assist of the season, as he has 4 more assists than any other ML outfielder in 2023 (4 OF’s have 6)…this is his 3rd straight year with 10+ OF assists (also 10-2022, 16-2021), as he is just the 4th player in club history with 3+ individual seasons with 10+ OF assists: 4-Jeff Burroughs/Ruben Sierra, 3-García/Leonys Martin…his 36 OF assists since the beg. of 2021 are the most in the Major Leagues over that span (2nd: 32 by Hunter Renfroe).
ROAD TRIPPIN’: Following today’s homestand finale, the Rangers will embark on a 7-day, 6-game road trip featuring a pair of 3-G series against the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees…it will be Texas’ 2nd visit of the Windy City (also 4/7-9 at CHC) and 1st stop in the Big Apple this season…TEX went 4-3 vs. CWS in 2022, but is 6-17 (.261) in its last 23 G at Guaranteed Rate Field since beg. of 2015.
SHORTS: Rangers Hall of Famer and P.A. announcer Chuck Morgan will call his 3,200th consecutive Major League game this afternoon: 890 G at Arlington Stadium, 2000 G at Globe Life Park, 81 G at Kauffman Stadium, 229 G at Globe Life Field…with yesterday’s sellout, the Rangers have now drawn 1,038,687 fans to Globe Life Field this season…in 2022, the team did not reach the one million mark in attendance until July 10th…Texas has gone 0-for-last-21 w/ RISP.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #22 Jon Gray, RHP (6-2, 2.32)
TODAY: The 31-year-old right-hander is set to make his 13th start and appearance of the season in today’s homestand finale vs. TOR…was scratched from his scheduled start on Tues. vs. LAA due to a blister on his pitching hand, and has not pitched for 10 days since his last start…threw a side on Thursday and is not expected to be limited today…suffered 1-0 loss despite his 2nd career complete game in last start on 6/7 vs. STL (see below)…the loss snapped a span in which Gray had won a career-best 5 consecutive starts…enters today having allowed 1 R-ER in his last 22.0 IP on the mound…has gone 5-1, 0.84 ERA (4 ER/43.0 IP) over his last 6 starts to lower his season ERA by just under 2 full runs from 4.40 to season-low 2.32, 3rd-lowest in the A.L…has quality starts in 5 of his last 6 outings…has logged at least 5.0 innings in 11 of 12 starts…8 of Gray’s 9 HR allowed in ‘23 have been solo shots…this is Gray’s 2nd season with Texas after signing a 4-year free agent contract with the club on 12/1/21…was hindered by several injuries last season, but still managed to post a 7-7 record, 3.96 ERA (56 ER/127.1 IP), and 134 strikeouts over 24 starts…prior to joining the Rangers, the right-hander had spent his entire pro career with Colorado, ranking 3rd in Rockies history with 849 strikeouts while also placing among the all-time team leaders with 151 starts, 829.1 innings, and 53 wins from 2015-21…was the 3rd overall selection by Colorado in the 2013 MLB Draft after pitching 2 seasons at the U. of Oklahoma…is a native of the Oklahoma City area, growing up in nearby Chandler…Texas is 7-5 in Gray’s 12 starts in 2023.
LEADERBOARD: Ranks among A.L. leaders in pitches per inning pitched (1st in MLB, 14.3), WHIP (2nd, 0.96), ERA (3rd, 2.32), opp. BA (3rd, .201), opp. OPS (3rd, .605), opp. SLG (5th, .335), and opp. OBP (8th, .270).
SCORELESS STREAKS / RECENT RUN: Has produced 2 longest scoreless streaks of his career since the start of May: 20.0 IP (5/26-6/7) and 17.0 IP (5/8- 20)…they represent the T5th-longest and T9th-longest scoreless spans in the A.L. in 2023…Gray’s loss on 6/7 vs. STL ended spans in which he won a career-best 5 consecutive starts (5/8-6/2) along with a career-high 6-G win streak (4/9-6/2)…Gray was the 1st Ranger to win 5 consecutive starts since Lance Lynn from 6/17-7/11/19…Rangers went 5-0 in his 5 May starts, with Gray going 4-0, 1.95 (7 ER/32.1 IP) over 5 GS in May, 2nd-lowest monthly ERA of his career (min. 4 GS) to only a 1.89 figure over 5 G/GS in July 2016.
- Over his last 5 starts, has produced 3 of the 8 highest game scores of his career: 87 on 6/7 vs. STL (2nd-best), 79 on 5/13 at OAK (T4th), and 77 on 6/2 vs. SEA (T7th).
LAST START: Was tough-luck loser in last start on 6/7 vs. STL, a 1-0 Rangers defeat (CG, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER, 0 BB, 12 SO, 1 HR, 100 pitches/76 strikes)… according to Stathead, it marked just the 2nd time in modern MLB history that a pitcher took the loss despite 9+ IP, 12+ SO, 4-or-fewer hits, 1 R allowed, and zero BB…the other instance?: TB’s James Shields on 10/2/12 vs. BAL…the lone run in Gray’s loss to the Cards was a solo HR by Alec Burleson in the 8th inning…it was the 23rd instance of a TEX starter taking a 1-0 loss in a CG, 1st since Matt Harrison on 9/22/12 at SEA…produced 2nd-highest game score of his career (87), trailing only CG SHO on 9/17/16 vs. SD (95 game score).
VS. TORONTO: Gray is 2-0, 3.57 (7 ER/17.2 IP) in 3 G/GS in his career vs. TOR…will be facing Jays for just 2nd time with the Rangers, as his lone start last year came on Opening Day in his Texas debut, 4/8/22 at TOR (ND, 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R-ER, 2 BB, 4 SO)…Gray would go on the IL the next day with a right middle finger blister.
AT HOME / GLF: Gray is 2-2, 2.61 (11 ER/38.0 IP) in 6 home starts in ‘23… including the CG loss in his last start, Gray has allowed a total of 3 runs in his 2 losses at GLF in 2023 (4/3 vs. BAL and 6/7 vs. STL)…has just 14 total home starts in his Rangers career spanning 2022-23: 6-3, 3.00 (27 ER/81.0 IP)…is starting at home for a 3rd straight outing, this after not making even consecutive starts in Arlington in April and May…in 2022, made twice as many starts on the road (16) than at Globe Life Field (8)…started the 2nd-ever game at this facility on on 7/25/20 at TEX w/ COL (4.2 IP, 1 R-ER), a 3-2 Rockies win…has seen far more success in 6 starts on the road (4-0, 2.02 ERA).
