WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
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TORONTO BLUE JAYS NOTES:
DOING YOUR HOMEWORK: The Blue Jays are on a six-day, six-game homestand (1-2 so far)…Have gone 33-29 this season at Rogers Centre…The .532 win% at home ranks 7th in the AL… After this series with the Nats, will have Thursday off as they head out for a six-game road trip to Colorado (49-81) and Oakland (38-93). Toronto batters rank 6th in the AL in home OBP (.327), 8th in home AVG (.251), 8th in home OPS (.730), and 11th in home SLG (.403)…The pitching staff ranks 3rd among AL teams with 3.50 home ERA while also sitting 3rd with a .227 home opponents’ average and 3rd with a 1.19 home WHIP.
PITCHING IN: Toronto pitchers have combined for a 3.72 ERA this season, 2nd best in the Majors (1st: SEA – 3.67)…The 3.72 ERA is currently 5th best in team history and the club’s best since 2008 (3.49)…Are 2nd in MLB with 1,235 strikeouts (1st: MIN – 1,244)…Rank 4th in the AL in WHIP (1.24) and 5th in opponents’ batting average (.239)…The rotation has recorded 58 quality starts, 4th most in the AL (T-6th in MLB).
INTERTAINMENT: Toronto is playing its 15th interleague series of the year…Has gone 26-14 vs. NL clubs so far…The .650 win% in interleague games is the best among MLB teams (2nd: CIN – .629) and 2nd best in team history (14-6, .700 in 2021)…Has set a club record with the 26 wins vs. NL clubs (14 in 2021). The Blue Jays have hit 682 home runs all-time in Interleague Play, the most among all 30 teams (2nd: NYY – 655).
VS. THE NATIONALS: All-Time: 41-34
2023: 0-0 Home: 25-15
Home: 0-0 Rogers Centre: 24-14
The Blue Jays last met the Nationals in 2021… Dropped both games in Washington while splitting the two contests played at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, FL…Last played the Nats here at Rogers Centre in 2018, sweeping the three-game series.
Daulton Varsho went 6-for-23 (.261) with three home runs and six RBI in seven games vs. Washington last season…Is hitting .276 (8-for-29) with seven runs, three homers, and seven RBI across nine career meetings (.939 OPS).
Brandon Belt leads all current Blue Jays with 43 career games played against the Nationals…Has gone 42-for-151 (.278) with 10 doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 21 RBI along the way (.865 OPS). Bo Bichette has multiple hits in four of his five career games vs. the Nats…Has batted .364 (8-for-22) with three doubles, a home run, and one RBI in those contests (1.028 OPS).
STARTING PITCHER – Kevin Gausman, RHP #34
TODAY’S GAME: Making his 26th start of the season and his 13th at Rogers Centre… Tossed 6.0 frames of 2-run ball his last time out, on 8/23 at BAL, giving up 5 hits and a walk with 8 strikeouts…Was his 17th quality start of the year. His 195 strikeouts are the most in the AL (Pablo López – 191), and are the 2nd most ever by a Blue Jay in their first 25 outings of a season (1st: Roger Clemens – 215 in 1997). Owns a 2.80 FIP since the start of the 2020 season, the best mark among qualified hurlers (2nd: Corbin Burnes – 2.85).
2023 HIGHLIGHTS: Dropped to 9-7 on the year on 8/16 vs. PHI, giving up 7R/5ER over 5.1 innings (7H, 3BB, 4K). Won his 9th game of the year on 8/9 at CLE, tossing 7.0 shutout frames with 4 hits, no walks, and 6 strikeouts…Was his 16th quality start of the year.
VS. THE NATIONALS:
Facing the Nationals for the 12th time in his career (11th start)…Last met the Nats on 7/11/21 as a member of the Giants, tossing 6.0 frames of onerun ball (4H, 3BB, 9K)…Over his last 4 games vs. WAS, has gone 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA (4 ER/19.0 IP), a 0.95 WHIP, and a .200 OPP AVG.
