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Blue Jays welcome Orioles in battle of the birds

By Keegan Matheson |
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Aug 29, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (10) rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam home run against Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays welcome the Baltimore Orioles to the Rogers Centre beginning tonight for a three-game set. As the Blue Jays look to continue their scorching run since August 1st and distance themselves from the New York Yankees in the AL East, The Orioles are fading out of the AL Wild Card race at 6.5 games behind the Texas Rangers.

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Baltimore hasn’t been particularly poor in terms of run production this season, currently sitting 12th in the MLB with 576 runs and fourth in the bigs with 173 home runs. The Orioles do rank in the bottom half in terms of batting average, however, and their cumulative OBP of just .305 is the third-lowest in baseball. The haven’t done themselves any favors lately, either, g0ing 2-8 over their past 10.

Manny Machado continues to be the star of the show in Baltimore, and it’s about time we all accept that he’ll be a thorn in Toronto’s side for many, many years. The young third baseman is hitting .291 with 26 home runs, 67 RBI and 17 stolen bases. Strangely enough, he and Gerardo Parra (11) are the only currently Orioles with more than three steals in 2015.

Chris Davis has rounded the corner strong as of late with three home runs over his past two games, pushing his season totals to 38 deep flies and 97 RBI. Clearly, the Blue Jays will want to keep the bases clean ahead of Crush. Adam Jones is enjoying a strong season of his own with 24 home runs, while second baseman Jonathan Schoop is quietly producing a strong campaign with a .290 average.

Next: Game 1: Hutchison looks to hold on

Aug 16, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Drew Hutchison (36) delivers a pitch against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: Friday, September 4th  –  7:07 ET
Drew Hutchison (13-2, 4.87)  vs.  Ubaldo Jimenez (9-9, 4.34)

Hutchison is in a strange place at this point in the season. His numbers, the most deceiving digits you’ll see all season, are finally starting to return towards the norm after two strong starts. Over his past two outings, Hutch has tossed 13.2 innings while allowing just nine hits and one walk. He’s struck out 12 batters over that span.

The surprise return of Marcus Stroman could muddy the waters, though, especially if his start with AAA Buffao goes well and he is recalled in time for the New York series next week. There’s also the option of turning to a six man rotation or spelling off another starter, but Hutchison’s best course of action is to pitch well and force the organization’s hand.

Our old friend Ubaldo takes the mound for Baltimore, and it hasn’t been a smooth ride for him lately. Jimenez has allowed four earned runs or more in six of his last 10 starts, coughing up seven earned in three of those. Over his past two starts (11.1 IP), Jimenez has surrendered 11 earned runs on 18 hits. Walks have a been a real struggle for the right-hander, so a patient approach should benefit the Jays.

Next: Game 2: A weekend serving of the ace!

Aug 31, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays opening pitcher David Price (14) pitches against Cleveland Indians in the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

Game 2: Saturday, September 5th  –  1:07 ET
David Price (4-1, 2.28)  vs.  (TBA) – Mike Wright (2-3, 4.99)

Toronto’s ace takes the mound for the Saturday matinee, and what’s not to love? Price did get hit with his first loss in blue and white last time to the mound where he surrendered three earned runs on six hits over 7.0 innings to the Cleveland Indians, but has performed as advertised since the blockbuster trade.

Baltimore could present a great strikeout opportunity for Price, who’s recorded 50 since joining the Blue Jays. Price was originally slated to start the Sunday game, but was flipped with Mark Buehrle to give the veteran an extra day of rest. He’ll still be pitching on a regular schedule.

The Orioles’ starter for this game has yet to be officially announced, but there are a few arrows pointing towards Mike Wright, who has not made a Major League start since June 19th. That most recent start came against your Toronto Blue Jays, where the right-hander lasted just 1.1 innings while allowing four earned runs on three hits and four walks. Encore! Encore!

Next: Game 3: Buehrle looks to close it out

Aug 13, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) acknowledges he applause of fans as he leaves the game against Oakland Athletics in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Game 3: Sunday, September 6th  –  1:07 ET
Mark Buehrle (14-6, 3.53)  vs.  Chris Tillman (9-10, 4.87)

The veteran lefty will close out the season on Sunday with an extra day of rest under his belt, something the Blue Jays hope will help to kickstart his velocity. Buehrle’s pitching rarely showcases a lot of zip, but it’s been particularly flat over his past few starts. In his past 10 outings, Buehrle has failed to surpass three strikeouts.

Now seeking his 15th win on the season, Toronto’s defense behind him will again be the most important factor with so many balls being put into play. If Buehrle does continue to struggle with some nagging injuries and his velocity, don’t be surprised if he’s pushed back in the rotation once more during the next go around.

Baltimore will counter with Chris Tillman, who’s patiently waiting for the season to end. The 27-year old right hander is coming off three straight losses, and really hit the wall in his last outing against the Tampa Bay Rays. Tillman lasted just 4.2 innings on September 1st, allowing seven runs on eight hits. He’s shown the ability to break out for a hot start, however, so the Blue Jays will need to stay on their toes.

Next: Blue Jays finally getting 2B stability with Goins, Travis

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