Toronto Blue Jays probable pitchers & starting lineups vs. Cleveland Guardians, May 2

After picking up two wild come-from-behind wins over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday and Thursday, the Toronto Blue Jays will continue their homestand with a three-game weekend series against the Cleveland Guardians.

The Blue Jays now sit at 15-16 on the year and are three games back of the Yankees for first place in the American League East, while the Guardians are 18-13 and in second place in the American League Central.

The Guardians are riding a three-game winning streak — two of which were walk-off wins.

First pitch for tonight's game is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. EDT. The game will be available on Sportsnet.

Toronto Blue Jays probable pitchers & starting lineups vs. Cleveland Guardians, May 2

Probable starting pitchers

Chris Bassitt (2-2, 2.62 ERA, 39 K) vs. Logan Allen (1-2, 4.21 ERA, 18 K)

Bassitt, an Akron, Ohio native, gets a chance to go against his hometown team in the series opener. He's coming off a start where he allowed four runs over 5 2/3 innings in a game against the Yankees. He's allowed four runs and failed to get out of the sixth inning in back-to-back starts.

He started the year on a tear, and had a 0.77 ERA through his first two starts. He's 1-3 with a 3.79 ERA in 35 2/3 career innings against Cleveland with 34 strikeouts and 12 walks. He's also allowed seven home runs.

His last start against Cleveland came in August 2023 when he allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Bo Naylor is the only Guardians to have homered against him in his career, while Carlos Santana is the only Guardians to have double-digit at-bats against him in his career.

The Guardians will counter with Allen, who is making his sixth start of the year. He had a great rookie year in 2023 (3.81 ERA in 125 1/3 innings) before taking a step back last year (5.73 ERA in 97 1/3 innings). He also spent a good part of last year in Triple-A.

Allen's coming off his worst start of the year, as he allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Red Sox in a 13-3 loss.

He's made three career starts against the Blue Jays in his career (which is tied for the most he has against any team outside of the AL Central) and has a 4.50 ERA in 14 innings. He made one start against Toronto last year and gave up one run over five innings in a Cleveland win.

He ranks in the 83rd percentile in hard-hit rate but also ranks in the 2nd percentile in whiff rate and the 5th percentile in fastball velocity.

Toronto Blue Jays starting lineup, May 2

• 1. SS Bo Bichette
• 2. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• 3. LF Anthony Santander
• 4. DH George Springer
• 5. C Alejandro Kirk
• 6. RF Addison Barger
• 7. 3B Ernie Clement
• 8. CF Myles Straw
• 9. 2B Andrés Giménez

Cleveland Guardians starting lineup, May 2

• 1. LF Steven Kwan
• 2. 2B Gabriel Arias
• 3. 3B José Ramírez
• 4. DH Kyle Manzardo
• 5. 1B Carlos Santana
• 6. C Bo Naylor
• 7. CF Angel Martínez
• 8. RF Jhonkensy Noel
• 9. SS Brayan Rocchio

The Blue Jays are sitting Daulton Varsho for the first time since his return from the injured list, with Myles Straw taking his place in center field. Straw is one of three former Guardians in the lineup along with Clement and Giménez.

The Blue Jays top of the lineup is the same, which makes sense since everyone has been clicking as of late.