The Toronto Blue Jays gear up for a crucial nine-game road journey starting tonight, facing off against the Cleveland Guardians in a series that could shape their playoff hopes.
Currently, the Guardians hold a slim 1 1/2 game advantage over the Blue Jays for the final wild-card spot in the American League, with Cleveland having played one game less and 25 games left in their regular season.
The Blue Jays enter the series on a high note, riding a three-game winning streak after dominating the Seattle Mariners over the weekend, outscoring them 19-4 in the series.
On the other hand, the Guardians have been performing well, going 8-2 in their last ten games but stumbled in a series against the Kansas City Royals, though they ended on a high note with an 11-1 victory on Sunday.
The pitching duel will see Spencer Miles as the opener for the Blue Jays, followed by Spencer Arrighetti. Miles, 26, has been a standout performer for Toronto this season, boasting a 2.92 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Arrighetti, acquired from the Astros, will aim to bounce back after a tough outing in his last appearance.
Cleveland will rely on Gavin Williams and Joey Cantillo for their pitching rotation, with a yet-to-be-named starter for Thursday’s game, likely facing Blue Jays’ José Soriano. The Blue Jays will also look to their ace Dylan Cease to take the mound on Wednesday.
Following the series against Cleveland, Toronto will continue their road trip against the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics.
Keyphrase: Blue Jays vs Guardians
