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Blue Jays hit Fenway for battle with Red Sox

By Keegan Matheson |
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Sep 6, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) celebrates with Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) after hitting a two run home run during the third inning in a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays hit the road for arguably their biggest road trip in two decades this week, making a three-game stop in Boston to face the Red Sox before landing in the Bronx. Coming off another series win over the Baltimore Orioles, the Blue Jays will look to cushion their 1.5-game lead in the American Lead East before leaving town.

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Toronto now sits at 78-58, going 7-3 over their last 10 ball games. Boston isn’t to be taken lightly, however, despite their division-worst record of 64-72. They’ve matched the Blue Jays over the last 10, and at this point in the season, there are 2016 jobs on the line.

Most of Boston’s struggles have come on the pitching side in 2015, as their offense has only been bested by the Yankees and Blue Jays league-wide. It’s a tough life in the AL East, but I suppose it’s time for someone else to draw the short straw. Home runs haven’t always been the weapon of choice for Boston as they sit towards the middle of the pack, but they rank in the top-5 in terms of cumulative batting average and OBP.

David Ortiz continues to power the Red Sox offense with 30 home runs on the season and 83 RBI, but did leave play early on Sunday with a calf issue. Mookie Betts has pitched in with a huge season of his own, with a recent string of scorching play that’s brought his average up to .281. The injured Pablo Sandoval is expected to return in this series, while Dustin Pedroia may find himself back in the lineup after dealing with a hamstring injury.

Next: Game 1 Preview: Worried about Buehrle?

Aug 30, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) pitches against Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: Monday, September 7th  –  1:35 ET
Mark Buehrle (14-6, 3.53) vs. Rick Porcello (6-12, 5.21)

Mark Buehrle takes the hill for game one after having his start flipped back a day on two occasions for David Price and Marco Estrada. While the veteran lefty insists he’s fine, this is the first time in 2015 that I’m a little worried about Buehrle.

Coming off two straight rough outings in late August, Buehrle bounced back in his last outing against the Detroit Tigers, allowing just one run over 6.0 innings pitched. His velocity has been flat, though, even moreso than usual. For a pitcher that puts a great deal of balls in play already, the Blue Jays will really need to be on their toes, especially in the unique confines of Fenway Park.

Rick Porcello will counter for the Red Sox, and despite some very ugly 2015 numbers, the Blue Jays aren’t catching him at the right time. The righty has been his old self since returning from the disabled list, and is coming off his strongest outing of the season. Porcello allowed just one run against the New York Yankees on September 1st, striking out 13 batters. This could be a good one.

Next: Game 2 Preview: Knuckler vs. the kid

Game 2: Tuesday, September 8th  –  7:10 ET
R.A. Dickey (10-10, 4.09)  vs.  Henry Owens (2-2, 5.87)

The knuckler looks to move back above .500 on Tuesday, something that didn’t seem possible several weeks ago. I’m not sure I’ll ever be comfortable with the volatile nature of Dickey’s repertoire in a playoff scenario, but after some rough outings in mid-t0-late August, the veteran bounced back with one of his strongest starts in blue and white.

Against the Cleveland Indians on September 2nd, Dickey pitched a complete game and looked near-perfect. He allowed just one earned run on four hits, striking out six and walking nobody. Dickey’s walks have really come back under control since some troubles locating the knucklball earlier in the season, which allows him to be more flexible with his velocity.

Red Sox 23-year old lefty prospect Henry Owens will take the mound to face Dickey, and while he’s a name to fear in the coming years, he hasn’t quite found it yet at the MLB level. Owens has flashed his talent through six starts, but in his last outing against the New York Yankees, he failed to escape the second inning while allowing seven earned runs. As a lefty, this could be a prime matchup for the Blue Jays.

Next: Game 3 Preview: Hutch fighting for his life

Sep 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Joe Kelly (56) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Game 3: Wednesday, September 9th  –  7:10 ET
Drew Hutchison (13-3, 5.07)  vs.  Joe Kelly (9-6, 4.84)

Hutchison isn’t a “lock” to pitch the series finale on Wednesday, but it’s the likeliest scenario at this point. Where things get fuzzy is the next trip through the rotation, when Marcus Stroman is expected to return against the New York Yankees. Hutchison will need a strong showing here to keep his name in the conversation, because his last outing wasn’t pretty.

The righty looked OK through the early innings, but as it often goes with Hutchison, he slammed into a wall in the middle innings. Through 5.0 innings, Hutchison allowed six earned runs on nine hits, striking out just two batters. There may not be a statistic in the MLB that represents the truth less that Hutchison’s 13-3 record.

Boston will close out the series with Joe Kelly, and much like Porcello, the Blue Jays are running into him at the wrong time. Kelly has rattled off seven straight wins since August 1st, and has not allowed more than two earned runs over that time. With a fastball that can touch the high-90s which he uses two-thirds of the time, Toronto will be sitting dead red.

Next: Do shorter outings mean more success for Jays rotation?

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