Blue Jays at Twins
One piece of good news for Toronto is Jose
Bautista may be rediscovering the swing that made him one of baseball’s
most feared sluggers the past two years. Mired in a miserable slump to
start the season, Bautista blasted two homers in Friday’s 7-6 loss to
Minnesota. After slugging 97 homers in 2010-11, Bautista started Friday
with only five. Minnesota owns baseball’s worst record at 9-23, but got a
big boost from rookie right fielder Darin Mastroianni in Friday’s
victory
Playing in only his second major-league game, Mastroianni
went 2-for-4 with three RBIs as the Twins won for only the second time
in seven games. Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer, hitting only .129 in May,
drew three walks Friday.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Toronto RH Drew Hutchison (1-1, 6.65 ERA) vs. Minnesota RH P.J. Walters (2011: 0-2, 7.20).
Hutchison
gave up Angels’ first baseman Albert Pujols’ first homer of the season
Sunday, allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss. The rookie
has struggled since making his big-league debut on April 21 at Kansas
City. Opposing batters are hitting .315 against the right-hander.
Walters
makes his Twins’ debut and fifth career start. Recalled this week from
Triple-A, Walters went 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in six starts for Rochester.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto shortstop Yunel Escobar is 12-for-36 (.333) since moving from the leadoff spot to No. 2 in the batting order.
2.
Minnesota designated hitter Justin Morneau, sidelined with a sore left
wrist, is expected to start swinging the bat this weekend.
3.
Walters pitched in one game with Toronto last season, working a
scoreless inning after being traded from St. Louis in the Colby Rasmus
deal. He signed with the Twins as a free agent in December.