Series Preview: Blue Jays Look to Ground Astros

May 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher

(41) pitches to the Minnesota Twins in the 1st inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: Roberto Hernandez (2-4, 4.92 ERA) vs Aaron Sanchez (4-4, 3.88 ERA)

The man formerly known as Fausto Carmona is definitely using the term fill-in admirably. If there were more choices I don’t see Hernandez being a part of this rotation. His GO/AO started out amazingly well around 3 but it has dropped to half that number over the last 7 or 8 games. He is slowly starting to implode on himself and the Blue Jays did get to him for 4 runs in 6+ innings last time out. This game should be decided based on his mound opponent.

Aaron Sanchez was the only Blue Jays starter that didn’t face the Astros in that ill-fated trip to Houston. He has been putting up better and better numbers and has been keeping his walks to a minimum the last 5 starts. He doesn’t have any gaudy strikeout numbers and he doesn’t have the best WHIP but what he does have is an approach that is being fine tuned and the catcher to help usher him into the dog days of summer with nothing but confidence. He is routinely able to pitch to his max pitch count-wise and if he is able to get his curveball over a bit more it will help his fastball even more.