Toronto Blue Jays probable pitchers & starting lineups vs. San Diego Padres, May 20

The Toronto Blue Jays will have their work cut out for them this week.

After dropping two out of three to the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers their last time out, the Blue Jays will now be going against the 27-18 San Diego Padres.

While the Padres are coming off a sweep at the hands of the Mariners, they're still one of the best teams in MLB, and have been able to hold their own in the hyper competitive National League West.

First pitch for Tuesday's series opener is set for 7:07 p.m. from Rogers Centre. The game will be available on Sportsnet.

Probable starting pitchers

Chris Bassitt (3-2, 3.16 ERA, 55 K) vs. Dylan Cease (1-2, 4.60 ERA, 58 K)

After starting the season strong, Bassitt's faded a bit in May and now will be tasked with stopping one of the best lineups in all of baseball.

That said, he's coming off one of his best starts of the year (one run allowed over 5 2/3 innings) and will be going against a Padres lineup that features some players he had some success against in his career. Xander Bogaerts (.556 average in nine at-bats) and Gavin Sheet (.400 in five at-bats) are only Padres with 5+ plate appearances against Bassitt who have hit better than .300 against him.

Bassitt has a 4.44 ERA in 26 1/3 career innings against the Padres.

Cease is in his second year with the Padres after the team acquired him in a trade with the White Sox, and he's had a bit of an up and down year.

His ERA ballooned to 7.98 last month after he surrendered nine runs in a four inning start against the Athletics, but he's bounced back since and has a 3.06 ERA over his last six starts.

He's been at his best his last two times out. After allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings against the Yankees on May 7, he allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Angels his last time out in a Padres win.

He's still missing bats (91st percentile in whiff rate and 82nd percentile in strikeout rate), but he's also in the 26th percentile in barrel rate.

The Blue Jays' lineup has some experience going against him thanks to his time in the American League. Anthony Santander is hitting .313 against him in his career with a home run and George Springer has also tagged him for a homer.

Cease has only allowed one run in 13 career innings against the Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays starting lineup, May 20

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

Santander's descent down the lineup continues, as he's hitting sixth today after hitting fifth on Sunday. He's hitting just .182 on the season, so John Schneider and the front office are likely moving him down the order in the hopes of taking some pressure off his shoulders.

The red-hot Varsho will take his spot at the No. 3 spot in the order, while Springer and Kirk are in the No. 4 and 5 spots, respectively.