New York And Toronto Aim To Bounce Back In Canada
Over the weekend New York and Toronto who are both members of the American League East both suffered losses.
New York lost in the finale to Boston although they won the series taking two out of three. Toronto meanwhile was on the other end of the spectrum where they not only lost the series but were swept by Colorado.
On Tuesday night both teams will look to bounce back North of the Border.
New York comes into the opener of the three game series with a record of 38-20 and is leading the division while Toronto is fourth in the division and comes into the opener with a record of 21-38. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings
Masahiro Tanaka will start the opener for New York. The Japanese right -hander comes into the game with a record of 3-4 with a 3.20 earn run average. Tanaka will face the Blue Jays for the 18th time in his career, owning an 11-4 record with a 2.69 ERA against them. In his last start, Tanaka took the loss against the Padres, allowing a season-high nine hits in six innings. He will oppose Toronto right -hander Clayton Richard who comes into the game with a record of 0-1 with an earn run average of 3.38. Richard will face the Yankees for the second time in his career, and first in more than a decade. He last faced them in September 2008. He's gone four innings in each of his two starts this season, giving up three earned runs over eight innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers
As stated above, New York lost the finale to Boston.
Clint Frazier endured arguably his most trying evening as a big leaguer Sunday evening, watching as the Red Sox took advantage of his misadventures to pad a big lead, then hold on for an 8-5 victory over the Yankees. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
"There's going to be days where things seem like they are not going your way," Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks said. "It kind of seems like the ball is always being hit to you. That’s just the time where you learn over time, you've just got to slow the game down." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
CC Sabathia returned from the injured list to provide a quality start, but Boston pulled away from what had been a one-run game in the seventh inning. With Luis Cessa on the mound, Frazier whiffed on an Eduardo Nunez ground-ball single that allowed a run to score, then dove and missed an Andrew Benintendi hit that produced another run. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
"Give him credit; he tried diving for a ball to make up for one," Luke Voit said. "He missed it, but we still trust him. He's working out there every day. I know other guys are out there trying to help him. We've just got to stay positive. It's nice to have this off-day coming [Monday] to hit the reset button for him." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
In the eighth, Frazier pursued a Michael Chavis fly that dropped near the foul line, rolling past him for a run-scoring triple. Frazier declined to speak with reporters after the game, but manager Aaron Boone said he believes the 24-year-old is pressing when he is in the outfield.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
"He's working his tail off, and as I've talked about, he's making strides out there," Boone said. "But obviously there's been some mistakes along the way too, and that's part of continuing to develop as a young player. That's an area of his game that isn't as far along, necessarily, as his offensive game, but he's working hard at it." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
Before Frazier became a topic of discussion, Sabathia offered stability to a Yankees rotation in need of reinforcements. Having had his troublesome right knee drained following a May 22 effort at Baltimore, Sabathia served up solo homers to J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts, but was able to limit Boston to three runs and seven hits over six innings.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
"I felt pretty good," said Sabathia, who walked none and struck out eight. "I was effective enough to go out and try to make pitches. Just a couple of pitches missed."“according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
New York managed a pair of runs off Price, who retired the first 10 men he faced before hitting a troublesome patch in the fourth inning.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
Voit hit his 15th homer and three straight singles followed, but the Yanks ran themselves out of the inning as Gleyber Torres and Hicks took the bat out of Frazier’s hands on a botched double steal.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
"You just try to do the best you can to score," Hicks said. "It turned into a rundown. You just try to get out of it." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
Price completed 6 1/3 innings to pick up the victory, his first at Yankee Stadium while wearing a Boston uniform. He had been 0-6 with a 9.79 ERA in six Yankee Stadium starts since joining the Red Sox prior to the 2016 season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
Down 8-2 after 7 1/2 innings, the Yankees made things interesting as an impressive thunder and lightning show crashed over the South Bronx. Three runs scored after the Yanks loaded the bases with none out against Matt Barnes, but Brandon Workman set the Yanks down in the ninth inning. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
"The team battled back," Sabathia said. "We were right there, had opportunities to win the game. That’s all you can ask for, chances to win the games. We’ve been doing that consistently."“according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
Frazier never appeared in the clubhouse as the Yankees zipped their bags for their charter flight to Toronto, but Boone said the club would effort to keep his confidence high in the wake of an exceedingly bad day at the office.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
"That's on him, on us, to continue to grow from the work," Boone said. "That's why you work so hard at it. When you get really good at something, confidence follows. He knows he's capable of it, and he knows he's the type of athlete that can do it, so we just have to keep after it."“according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-has-quality-start-off-injured-list
Like New York, Toronto lost their previous game but unlike New York Toronto lost the series to Colorado
- As he stood outside the visitors’ clubhouse at Coors Field following Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Rockies to wrap up a winless six-game road trip, Aaron Sanchez answered questions he’s heard time and time again over the last two years. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
“You guys have seen me when I’m healthy, and you’ve seen me when I’m not," he said. "When I am, it’s a big difference from when I’m not.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
Sanchez has worked tirelessly to condition his body and mechanics to be a pitcher who finished seventh in American League Cy Young Award voting with a league-leading 3.00 ERA in 2016. With all of that effort and time over the years to hone every muscle to attain the memory needed to pitch effectively in the Major Leagues, it’s all come down to his right middle finger..”according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
Following his breakout ‘16 campaign, Sanchez dealt with problem after problem with that digit, including blisters and nail avulsions, something he’s described as feeling like someone is ripping the finger nail right out of the skin. He was limited to eight starts in ‘17 and 20 in ‘18, with a 4.72 ERA over that span. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
Prior to starting Sunday’s series finale in Colorado, Sanchez had to leave two of his last three starts early due to finger issues. So when he went six innings without incident at Coors Field, it was an encouraging sign for the 26-year-old and his club. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
“Just going out there and pitching at all is encouraging, really,” Sanchez said. “I haven’t been on the mound for two years, it felt like.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
Though he gave up four runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out two, Sanchez was able to throw all of his pitches. Of his 85 pitches on the afternoon, he threw 30 two-seam fastballs, 16 four-seamers, 16 changeups and 23 curveballs. His fastball velocity maxed out at 96.2 mph.
“It sounds so minute, but it’s so impacting,” Sanchez said. “For pitching, that’s feel, the fingers are the last thing connected to the ball. For me to go out there and throw 85 pitches, that’s a good sign. Hopefully I can continue that trend and put this whole thing behind me.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
Sanchez has been here before, having pitched deep into a game without finger problems cropping up. But they were only lying dormant, eventually returning to plague Sanchez as he tried to build some consistency on the mound. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
It can’t be easy to avoid thinking about whether the next pitch at any given moment could be the last of his start. Or his season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
“When it’s my day to pitch, you’ve gotta go out there and compete,” Sanchez said. “You’re facing the best hitters in the world. If I’m thinking about something else other than trying to execute a pitch, I’ll get embarrassed out there. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
“And there’s nights that I have after being worried about that. I’ve learned a lot through this process, especially that aspect of how I can’t be out there worried about things I can’t control.”according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
For now, all is well with Sanchez, and by extension, that is at least temporarily a relief for the Blue Jays. Toronto’s starting rotation depth is paper thin with injuries to Matt Shoemaker (out for the season with a torn ACL) and Clay Buchholz (strained upper back), as well as a very difficult start for recently-acquired veteran Edwin Jackson, including a rocky outing at Coors Field on Friday in which he surrendered 10 runs in 2 1/3 innings.”according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
It’s a precarious situation, going from start to start. But there’s no place for letting the, “What if?” creep into his head. After all, that doesn’t help him get back out on the mound. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
“This can’t be something that I have to deal with forever,” he said. “I don’t wish this upon anybody. … If I want to make a start I’ve gotta figure it out. “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
“I’ll go out there until my hand falls off. That’s how much I want to compete.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/aaron-sanchez-six-innings-toronto-sixth-straight-loss
First pitch is set for 7:07pm from Rogers Centre. The game will be televised on Yes, SNET, SNET-1 and TVA Sports.