New York Turns To Sonny Gray To Secure Their Postseason Spot As They Look To Bounce Back In Toronto

Joe Girardi will turn to Sonny Gray to secure New York's  spot in the postseason this afternoon at the Rogers Centre in Toronto in game two of this three-game series as they look to bounce back from the series opening loss to Toronto on Friday. 

Although since Sonny Gray was acquired from Oakland at the July 31st trade deadline in each start he has had a lack of run support. Will New York be able to get their offense going and score runs to back up Sonny Gray's start against Toronto?

The Yankees will have a chance to secure a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2015 when they face the Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

With a magic number of one, New York can secure at least one of the two American League Wild Card spots with a win over Toronto. If they lose, the Yankees can still lock up a spot with an Astros win over the Angels and an A's win over the Rangers. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

Right-hander Sonny Gray will take the mound for New York as he looks to rebound from his worst start since joining the Yankees at the non-waiver Trade Deadline. Gray allowed five runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four over four innings of work in a 6-4 loss to the Orioles. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

"I just wasn't sharp from the beginning," Gray said of that start. "Losing is tough." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

Toronto will counter with right-hander Joe Biagini, who has been entirely unpredictable from one start to the next. He has been alternating between good and bad outings throughout September, and he's coming off one of the worst starts of his career. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

Biagini could not make it out of the second inning during his last start against the Twins. He allowed six runs on five hits and walk before getting pulled from the game. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

"He's had a good outing, he labors, good outing, labors, that kind of thing," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "He's going to get ground balls; that's key for him. Stay on the attack. Don't let them dictate what you're going to do." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

 Left fielder Brett Gardner is expected to make his return to the Yankees' lineup on Saturday afternoon. Gardner has been out since he was struck by a pitch behind his right shoulder on Wednesday night. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

Aaron Judge hit a solo homer off right-hander Marco Estrada on Friday night and is now sitting on 46 home runs this season, which is three shy of the rookie record set by Mark McGwire in 1987. Judge has nine home runs this month and appears to be heating up at the right time. "according to tohttp://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

"Even though his difficult times, he was still managing to walk and find ways to get on base," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think that patience paid off. I think most players during the course of the year are going to go through a little bit of a bad period. He got through it." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

Jose Bautista's 36 home runs against the Yankees ranks first among all active players. He also has 82 RBIs, which ranks fourth. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170922255642710/gray-yanks-seek-postseason-clinch-in-toronto/?game_pk=492412

As for New York and Toronto's last game, Toronto won the opener with the long ball as they got to Japanese starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka.

You win with pitching and with an offense and unfortunately for New York  Masahiro Tanaka had a bad start in the opener of the three-game series at the Rogers Centre Friday while right -fielder Aaron Judge was the bright spot for New York with his home run that gave New York the lead briefly early. With the loss, New York is still looking to clinch and get to the postseason. 

 Ryan Goins pulled off a hidden ball trick that caught Todd Frazier napping, then slugged a grand slam that ended Masahiro Tanaka's night as the Blue Jays trounced the Yankees, 8-1, on Friday evening at Rogers Centre, delaying New York's postseason clinch for at least one more day. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

New York's magic number is down to one after the Angels and Rangers both lost Friday night. The Yankees can secure a postseason spot Saturday with a victory over Toronto or losses by both the Halos and Texas. New York fell four games behind Boston in the American League East with the Red Sox's win at Cincinnati. The club's lead for the first AL Wild Card spot stood at 5 1/2 games over the Twins after Minnesota's win at Detroit. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

The Toronto shortstop flawlessly executed his trick play in the third inning after Jose Bautistasnared a Jacoby Ellsbury liner to right field, pretending to toss the ball back to the mound before slapping a tag on Frazier. Goins' second career grand slam busted the game open in the sixth, following homers by Teoscar Hernandez and Russell Martin earlier in the contest. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

"With the new rules, you keep the tag on for a long time sometimes," Goins said. "So I just joke around, keep it on there, knowing guys aren't going to come off. That time, I just arm faked and was going to sit there and watch him. Something in my head told me he was going to take his foot off the base. I put my glove on him, and that was it really." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

Aaron Judge cracked his American League-leading 46th home run in the first inning off Toronto's Marco Estrada, who settled into provide seven sharp innings of three-hit ball in his first start since agreeing to a one-year, $13 million contract extension. Judge's 469-foot blast was the longest home run hit at Rogers Centre this year. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

Tanaka permitted seven earned runs for the second time in his last three starts, and he has served up 35 homers this year; only Rick Porcello (36) has allowed more. Tanaka said that inconsistency in his slider and splitter were to blame. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

"It's very disappointing," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "We're here towards the end of the season, and I understand how important these games are. You want to go out there and perform. Not being able to execute pitches and not being able to perform, it is very disappointing." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

Though Tanaka has been considered the Yankees' ace since 2014, manager Joe Girardi is instead weighing Luis Severino against Sonny Gray to start should the club participate in the AL Wild Card Game. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

The hidden-ball trick will receive most of the attention, but Goins' bat also was responsible for breaking the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Girardi stuck with Tanaka and allowed him to face Toronto's No. 9 hitter for the third time, noting that Goins was 0-for-22 in his career against Tanaka. Goins quickly fell behind 0-2, but then unloaded on an 86-mph slider and sent it deep over the wall in right field. Goins has 10 hits with the bases loaded, which is tied with Carlos Delgado for the most in a single season by a Blue Jays player. He also became the first shortstop in franchise history to hit two grand slams in the same season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

"I had all the confidence in the world of going with my slider there, but it just didn't come out of my hand right and it hung," Tanaka said. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

"You look at everything, but I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves," Girardi said. "We still haven't clinched anything. We need to win games and we need to play well. Tonight we didn't." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

 Martin delivered a big blow against one of his former teams in the bottom of the fourth inning. With a runner on first, Martin sent a drive over the wall in left field for his 13th home run of the season. According to Statcast™, the home run came with a launch angle of 18 degrees, which was Martin's lowest over the last three seasons. It reached a height of just 46 feet and left his bat at 108 mph for a projected distance of 374 feet. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

Just a bonehead play by me, to be honest with you, because I try and do that, too. I thought the ball was thrown in. Just one of those things, nothing you can do about it afterwards. It's just one of those things where you have to have a little better mindset of understanding what's going on in the game. Just not a good play on my part." -- Frazier, on the hidden ball trick "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

"Probably not much. He's already signed his contract. If he hadn't, it might have been more important." -- Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, jokingly responding to a question about how a strong finish will help Estrada going into the offseason and next year "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

Goins is batting .714 (10-for-14) with the bases loaded this season. The 10 hits lead the Majors. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/255625816/blue-jays-use-3-homers-to-deny-tanaka-yankees/

With the loss, New York drops to 85-68 and is now four games behind Boston who is leading the American League East with a record of 89-64. Meanwhile, Toronto improves to 72-82 on the season and is 17.5 games back of Boston. 

Right-hander Sonny Gray who has a record of 9-11 with a 3.38 earn run average will get the start for New York. Gray endured his shakiest start as a Yankee last time out, allowing five runs and six hits in four innings vs. the Orioles. Prior that, Gray had compiled a 2.66 earn run average in eight starts for New York, though he was just 3-5 due to the lack of run support. He will go oppose Toronto right-hander Joe Biagini who has a record of 3-11 with a 5.33 earn run average. Biagini has been inconsistent from one start to the next. In his last start Biagini, could not make it out of the second inning allowing six runs (four earned) Prior to that he tossed eight innings vs. the Orioles. "according to  https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-blue-jays/2017/09/23/492412#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=492412

Will Sonny Gray be able to bounce back from his loss in the finale against Baltimore and have a good outing? Will the Toronto offense be able to their offense going against him? Will Aaron Judge homer again like he did in the opener against Toronto?  Will New York secure their spot in the postseason? 

First pitch is set for 4:07 pm. The game will be televised on Yes and Major League Baseball Network. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-blue-jays/2017/09/23/492412#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=492412