Toronto Blue Jays look to stay hot against Miami Marlins

Jun 7, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays team surround Chris Colabello (15) after he makes the winning hit in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays won 7-6. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays are red hot entering their home series against the Miami Marlins as they look to build upon a recent sweep of the Houston Astros.  Chris Colabello‘s walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday not only sent his unlikely hit streak to 17 games, it extended the Toronto Blue Jays’ win streak to five.

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Over the course of those five games, the Jays have outscored their opponents 35-13 and soared with their newfound competency from the starting rotation.  The bullpen remains an utter mess, but with a lineup that has produced an MLB-best 296 runs, this success could be sustainable.

Despite the run, Toronto remains 4.5 games back of the division leading New York Yankees, who sit at 32-25 after a six-game win streak of their own.  The Miami Marlins, on the other hand, have been completely underwhelming after another busy offseason.

Sitting fourth in the NL East, there are murmurs around the Marlins that they may be headed for the dreaded “sellers” category ahead of the upcoming MLB trade deadline.  Miami will send Brad Hand, Dan Haren and Tom Koehler to the mound at the Rogers Centre.

Next: First stop: A look at the Miami Marlins

Jun 2, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (right) is greeted at home plate by first baseman Justin Bour (left) after Stanton hit a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Marlins Park. The Marlins won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Across the Diamond:  Miami Marlins

The Marlins have hit well enough this season, sitting eighth in the league with a .262 team average, their downfall has come in terms of power and run production.  Giancarlo Stanton has been in All Star form early, and rightfully so given his contract that pays him infinite money (approximately).  Entering play on Sunday, Stanton had covered a low average nicely with 18 home runs and 47 RBI.

Unfortunately, Stanton and Justin Bour are the only two Marlins to record more than three home runs thus far.  Former Jay Adeiny Hechavarria sits second on the club in terms of RBI’s with 24, which few would have ever predicted entering 2015.

The infield around Hechavarria is rounded out nicely by Martin Prado and Dee Gordon, who has been one of baseball’s top hitters for average through the first two months.  Gordon has also stolen 20 bases, so watch for Miami to push for manufactured runs whenever possible.

Frankly, this is not a lineup that is a great threat to outscore the Blue Jays or match them punch-for-punch.  They are one of the league’s cleaner defensive teams, entering with a league-low 22 errors as a team, but this is a roster that must win lower scoring games.  With Toronto’s starting pitchers on the upswing, this could be another series that is ripe for two wins.

Next: Game 1: Estrada fighting for his job

Jun 2, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada (25) throws to the Washington Nationals during the second inning in game two of a double header at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1:  Monday, June 8th  –  7:07 ET

Marco Estrada will start the series for Toronto on Monday, and he’s quietly becoming one of the more interesting stories on this roster.  With lefty Daniel Norris lurking in AAA Buffalo, Estrada continues to do just enough to hold him off.

In his most recent outing against the Washington Nationals, Estrada picked up the win after allowing two earned runs over six innings.  The former reliever walks a fine line with some of the hard contact that he allows and home runs are the primary threat to his job, but his results have been encouraging.  At this point, the needing state of the bullpen may be all that causes his return to long relief.

Miami will counter with 25-year old lefty Brad Hand, who has made two starts since moving to the rotation from the bullpen.  Those two outings have been encouraging, but over the course of his career as a starter, Hand owns a 5-18 record with a 4.40 ERA.

Hand has also had a more difficult time against right-handed bats, which could line up well for the Blue Jays.  He’ll offer a fastball that can touch 94 miles per hour, turning to a curveball and changeup later in counts.

Next: Game 2: Buehrle time, baby!

Jun 3, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons (5) congratulates starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) after his complete game win over the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Toronto Blue Jays defeated Washington Nationals 8-0. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Game 2:  Tuesday, June 9th  –  7:07 ET

It’s a battle of veteran arms in game two, with the Blue Jays happily handing the ball to Mark Buehrle.  The crafty lefty is coming off his second straight complete game, this time a shutout, and has returned to the steady seven-inning machine that the Jays need.

Buehrle helped to kickstart this recent winning streak with an all-around show in Washington, where he singled and broke up a double-play to compliment his quality outing on the mound.  Expect Dioner Navarro to be back behind the plate with their chemistry clicking once again.

Across the diamond, the Marlins will roll out the runner-up of the recent Daniel Norris Lookalike Competition: Over 30 Division: Dan Haren.  Outside of one forgettable outing against the Dodgers in mid-May, Haren has been absolutely fantastic while posting a 6-2 record along with a 3.18 ERA.

Earlier in his career, Haren hit 90-92 MPH with his fastball consistently, but the times have changed.  His average fastball this season has sit around 85-86 MPH, down significantly even from 2014.  He has nearly abandoned his split-finger, instead leaning a little heavier on his cutter and curve.

Next: Game 3: The Sanchize closes it out