Blue Jays at Giants
Melky Cabrera will likely be greeted with boos again Wednesday at AT&T Park when the Toronto Blue Jays conclude their brief two-game set against the San Francisco Giants. The former Giants left fielder is expected to be one of some 20 players that Major League Baseball will seek to suspend because of their connection to the Biogenesis clinic in Miami, ESPN's "Outside The Lines" reported Tuesday. As a second-time offender, Cabrera could face a 100-game suspension.
While Cabrera is expected to be in the Blue Jays lineup Wednesday, the Giants could be missing two key players because of injuries. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval left Tuesday’s contest early with soreness in the same left foot that forced him to miss three games, but manager Bruce Bochy said he could start in the series finale. Center fielder Angel Pagan has missed the last nine games with a right hamstring strain, but is available to pinch hit.
TV: 3:45 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (4-7, 5.18 ERA) vs. Giants LH Barry Zito (4-3, 3.88)
After a stretch of three solid outings, Dickey has allowed 12 runs and 20 hits over his last 12 2/3 innings covering his last two starts. The knuckleballer struck out a season-high 10 batters against the Giants on May 14, when he gave up two runs over six frames in a 10-6 victory. Hunter Pence is 4-for-21 against Dickey, who has given up six earned runs or more in four of his 12 starts.
Zito worked around a season-high six walks and gave up one run over six innings against the Athletics on Thursday while throwing a season-high 117 pitches. The left-hander is 5-4 with a 3.82 ERA in 12 career starts against the Blue Jays. He turned in a dismal outing against Toronto on May 14, when he gave up eight runs (five earned) on a season-high 12 hits over 5 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Giants are 7-0 at home this season when Zito takes the mound.
2. Toronto RF Jose Bautista is in a 2-for-30 slump over the last six games.
3. The Giants are 21-12 when they hit at least one home run.