The Toronto Blue Jays will take on the Kansas City Royals again this time for three games. The Blue Jays are coming off a series loss to the Dodgers while the Royals are coming off a series loss to the Tigers.
Toronto Blue Jays (14-15) vs. Kansas City Royals (17-12)
Game 1:
Date: Monday, April 29
Time: 7:07 pm EST
Broadcast: Sportsnet
Game 2:
Date: Tuesday, April 30
Time: 7:07 pm EST
Broadcast: Sportsnet
Game 3:
Date: Wednesday, May 1
Time: 3:07 pm EST
Broadcast: Sportsnet
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Yariel Rodriguez (0-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. Jonathan Bowlan (0-0, -.– ERA)
Rodriguez gets the series started and he will make his fourth career start, he is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA, a 4.08 FIP, a 1.54 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. His last start came against these Royals, and he took the loss giving up three runs on six hits in four innings; he walked two and struck out two. That was his only start in his career against the Royals. Bowlan goes for the Royals, this is his first game for the Royals this season, in Triple-A he is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in 21 innings. He has never faced the Blue Jays in his career.
Game 2: Jose Berrios (4-1, 1.23 ERA) vs. Cole Ragans (1-2, 3.90 ERA)
Berrios gets the middle game, he is 4-1 with a 1.23 ERA, a 3.82 FIP, a 1.03 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 36.2 innings. In his last start, he pitched the rain-shortened game against the Royals going five innings, giving up two runs on three hits; he walked three and struck out one. He is now 7-6 against Kansas City in his career with a 4.67 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts in 129 innings. Ragans faced Berrios again, he is 1-2 with a 3.90 ERA, a 2.21 FIP, a 1.43 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 30 innings. In that last game, he went five innings giving up one run on three hits; he walked three and struck out four. He is now 1-0 against the Blue Jays with a 2.53 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and ten strikeouts in 10.2 innings.
Game 3: Chris Bassitt (2-4, 5.65 ERA) vs. Seth Lugo (4-1, 1.66 ERA)
Bassitt this season is 2-4 with a 5.64 ERA, a 5.53 FIP, a 1.84 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts in 30.1 innings. In his last start against the Dodgers he got lit up giving up seven runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings; he walked three and struck out four. In his career against the Royals he is 1-1 with a 3.82 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 33 innings. Lugo will oppose Bassist, he is 4-1 with a 1.66 ERA, a 3.42 FIP, a 1.10 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts in 38 innings. In his last start he faced the Tigers going seven shutout innings, he allowed three hits; he would walk two and strikeout nine. In his career against the Blue Jays he is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts in 13.1 innings.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals Leaders
Blue Jays:
AVG – Justin Turner – .306
HR – Daulton Varsho – 6
RBI – Daulton Varsho – 14
IP – Jose Berrios – 36.2
ERA – Jose Berrios – 1.23
K – Yusei Kikuchi – 36
Royals:
AVG – Salvador Perez – .340
HR – Salvador Perez – 7
RBI – Salvador Perez – 26
IP –Seth Lugo – 38.0
ERA – Seth Lugo – 1.66
K – Cole Ragans – 37
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals Numbers
Blue Jays
AVG: .226 (23)
OPS: .669 (23)
R: 103 (25)
HR: 24 (24)
ERA: 4.30 (22)
K: 229 (20)
WHIP: 1.37 (25)
Royals
AVG: .234 (21)
OPS: .683 (20)
R: 133 (12)
HR: 29 (11)
ERA: 3.18 (5)
K: 209 (27)
WHIP: 1.25 (13)
Wrap Up
The Blue Jays are coming off a tough week in which they only won two of their seven games and those two came off a win to start the week and a win to end the week. Now they get the Royals again who just last week they dropped three of four against, the Blue Jays bats need to wake up with the starting pitching they have lined up if they want to stay in contention early to start the season.
