Blue Jays at Indians
Corey Kluber will try for the sixth time this season to pick up his first victory when Cleveland hosts Toronto in the continuation of a four-game series on Saturday. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, who finished in a three-way tie for first place in the AL with 18 victories in 2014, has struggled his last two times out and has received very little help from his offense all season.
The Indians have given the right-hander an average of two runs of support, which was tied for the fifth-lowest average in the AL entering Friday night. Cleveland looks primed to give Kluber a little more assistance after it pounded out 13 hits in a 9-4 victory in its last time out. Jason Kipnis, Michael Brantley and Brett Hayes each homered as the Indians improved to 2-13 in games in which they gave up at least three runs. Sluggers Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion combined to go 5-for-9 atop the Toronto lineup while the rest of the order went 3-for-24 as the Blue Jays fell to 2-6 on their 10-game road trip.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (1-2, 5.03 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (0-3, 4.24)
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons recently hinted he has thought about moving Sanchez to the bullpen, possibly into the closer's role. The 22-year-old, who had a 1.09 ERA in 24 relief appearances last year, threw a career-high 5 2/3 innings while allowing four runs - three earned - in a loss at Boston on Monday. He also struck out a personal-best seven and walked just two after recording nine punchouts and 12 free passes over his first three starts.
Kluber had a 2.49 ERA through his first three starts but has been pounded for 12 runs (10 earned) on 23 hits in 12 1/3 innings over his last two, both losses. He still has 36 strikeouts, good enough to tie for second in the AL and he has gone 12 straight starts dating to last season with two or fewer walks. Kluber won with seven dominant frames in his lone start at Toronto last May but gave up five runs (four earned) and nine hits a month earlier in a loss against the Blue Jays at home.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays 2B Devon Travis (collarbone) missed Friday's game and is considered day-to-day.
2. Donaldson is hitting .326 with five home runs in 13 career games in Cleveland.
3. Indians RF Brandon Moss has 14 RBIs in his last eight games.