Blue Jays vs. Astros: Full series preview and pitching matchups

Heading into this weekend’s series against the Houston Astros, the Blue Jays sit a half game above the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. Every game from here until the end of the season will have big implications on this race, and it starts against the young Astros.

The Astros sit only two games back in the wild card race, coming off a doubleheader win including 25 runs against the Twins, and they will be looking to turn it on down the stretch.

The Jays were able to take three of four from the Astros in their latest series, and hold the Astros bats to just five runs in the four games, as they were able to completely shut down the Astros young guns on offence.

The Jays will see a former prospect of their own in Joe Musgrove, who will make his second MLB start. He was able to dice the Jays in a relief appearance in that series, and he was one of the key contributors in the large amounts of K’s the Jays had in that series.

Beyond Musgrove, the Jays will see Collin McHugh and Mike Fiers, both who provide favourable matchups for the Jays. McHugh has decent strikeout stuff and a fairly strong track record of success, but the Jays offence was able to tattoo him for three long balls last time out, and he’s been struggling with hard contact and home runs.

Fiers provides a great matchup for the Jays, as he struggles with the home run ball and his strikeouts have gotten to a horrible rate. It could be a big weekend for the Jays bats.

Next: Altuve, Springer and Correa lead the Astros