Blue Jays face Yankees for most hyped series in years

Aug 2, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (25) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Across the Diamond

Time after time, these series previews have brought about optimism in the “Across the Diamond” section due to Toronto’s clear offensive advantage. Against the Bronx Bombers, however, that’s not exactly the case.

New York entered play on Thursday night sitting second in the Major Leagues behind the Blue Jays with 526 runs. They also rank second league-wide to the Jays in doubles, and trail just Houston and Toronto in total team home runs. This offense doesn’t get the attention of Toronto’s, but it’s been nearly as productive.

Mark Teixeira has been the star of the show in New York with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs entering Thursday, and he’s been especially hot as of late. With the short porch in left field, he’s one to keep an eye on.

Their surprise story, of course, has been Alex Rodriguez, whose 24 home runs and .278 average are miles beyond his modest projections for 2015. Brett Gardner is also enjoying another strong season in the outfield while Chase Headley has been producing steadily over the past two weeks.

Next: Game one: Dickey looks to stay hot