Toronto Blue Jays vs. Philadelphia Phillies series predictions (June 13-15 ): 3 key things going the Jays way

There probably isn’t any hotter team in the MLB than the Toronto Blue Jays right now. Winners of five consecutive series including two sweeps, the Blue Jays have posted a stellar 13-3 record during their past 16 contests while outscoring the opposition by a whopping 91-60 margin. Among the casualties were the Philadelphia Phillies, who came to town just last week to fall 2-1 in the three-game series to Toronto.

Now, just one week later, the Phillies will be looking to exact some revenge on the Blue Jays. However, Toronto currently have some things going their way heading into the rematch that should prevent Philadelphia from fulfilling their destiny.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Philadelphia Phillies series predictions: 3 key things going the Jays way

Bryce Harper will be absent from Phillies lineup

The Phillies had struggled to generate any type of offense against the Jays during the latter two games of the series last week, putting up just one run in each contest. Now they will have to do it without their most potent bat in the lineup with superstar Bryce Harper nursing a recurring wrist injury. The two-time NL MVP ranks second on the team in home runs (9), RBIs (34), walks (35) and third in runs scored (32) so far this season prior to landing on the IL with his ailment. 

Without Harper, the Phillies have lost four of the past six while averaging just 3.5 runs per game in the process. Meantime, the Blue Jays have been on an offensive tear, scoring on average over six runs a game in recent weeks.

The sudden resurgence of Alejandro Kirk this season

It had been a few years since Alejandro Kirk put together his All-Star and Silver Slugger season with the Jays in 2022. With many believing that it was his breakout campaign for Toronto, Kirk would end up disappointing in each of the past two years as he failed to come close to his previous dominant numbers. However, the 26-year-old catcher appears to have rediscovered his prior form once again this season as he has slowly become the Toronto’s best hitter in recent weeks. 

On the year, Kirk has posted a stellar .325 average, and .807 OPS, along with 17 runs scored, five home runs and 31 RBI. But during the past week, he exploded by powering the Jays’ offense, batting at a .484 clip with five runs scored, two home runs and eight RBIs. The Phillies will have to come up with a game plan to stop Kirk.

The Jeff Hoffman and Jordan Romano saga: round two

Ever since the Blue Jays and Phillies did the de-facto closer swap of Jeff Hoffman and Jordan Romano this past offseason, the two teams will be tied together to see who made the right call. On the season, both relievers have been putting up uncharacteristic numbers, with Hoffman compiling a 5.70 ERA and Romano amassing a gruesome 7.40 ERA and 1.64 WHIP.

Nevertheless, everyone focused on how they would perform when the two met last week in the Jays-Phillies first head-to-head matchup since the swap. In round one, Toronto came out on top with Hoffman holding the Phillies at bay in the top of the ninth on June 4 with the game tied 1-1. Romano gave up the game-winning run in the bottom half of the inning to take the loss.

With Hoffman now going back to his old stomping grounds in Philadelphia where he posted the best numbers so far in his career, a comfortable and energy-charged Hoffman will mean even more big time trouble for the Phillies in round two.