Blue Jays at Yankees
After one of its young hurlers shined in an Opening Day win at Yankee
Stadium, Toronto turns to one of its veterans in the continuation of a
three-game series with New York on Wednesday. The Blue Jays, who had
lost 29 of their previous 34 games in the Bronx before this set, rode solid six innings from 24-year-old Drew Hutchison and a two-run homer by
Edwin Encarnacion to a 6-1 victory in the opener Monday.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, 16 years Hutchison's elder, gets the nod as he looks to build upon back-to-back 14-13 seasons since joining the Blue Jays. While their offensive attack was limited to Brett Gardner's solo home run in Monday's loss, the Yankees also saw starter Masahiro Tanaka struggle in four innings as he attempts to ease concerns over a balky elbow. If Tanaka continues to sputter, it is imperative that Wednesday's starter, Michael Pineda, has a full, successful season. The big right-hander lost two full years to injury and missed more than three months of 2014 with a shoulder issue.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (2014: 14-13, 3.71 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Michael Pineda (2014: 5-5, 1.89)
The durable Dickey has led or tied for his league's lead in starts in each of the past three seasons and has thrown at least 208 2/3 innings in four straight years, leaving him one out away from 1,500 for his career. He blanked the Yankees over six innings at home last April 5 before allowing two runs in six frames at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 18, part of a solid stretch run in which he went 4-1 with a 2.35 ERA over seven outings. Dickey let up two earned runs in 12 innings during spring training.
Pineda posted a 1.91 ERA in nine starts after returning from his shoulder issues last season, striking out 44 and walking just four in the process. Included in that run was a loss in Toronto in which he gave up two runs in six innings but received zero run support. The 26-year-old, who is 1-2 with a 4.11 ERA in five career starts against the Blue Jays, was 2-0 with a 1.42 mark in five dominant Grapefruit League outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Ten of Gardner's 41 career home runs have come against Toronto.
2. Blue Jays rookie 2B Devon Travis hit a solo home run and drew two walks in his major league debut Monday.
3. Yankees 3B/DH Alex Rodriguez, who was 1-for-2 with a walk Monday in his return from a one-year suspension, is 8-for-22 with a home run against Dickey.