Red Sox at Blue Jays
The Boston Red Sox are four games into the season and have the same questions about the starting rotation that they had in the offseason, but the offense and the bullpen are better than advertised. The Red Sox will try to ride their hitters and relievers to a series sweep when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays for the finale of their three-game set on Sunday.
Ace David Price is the only member of Boston's rotation to log a quality start in the first four games, but the offense is averaging seven runs and the bullpen yielded a total of two runs over 16 total innings. The Red Sox came from behind to win the first two games of the series, with Hanley Ramirez driving in the go-ahead run in both contests. The Blue Jays have dropped four games in a row since winning their first two of the season and have their own pitching problems after surrendering 16 runs in the first two contests of the series. Toronto will try to solve its issues when Marco Estrada (back) comes off the disabled list to make his first start of the season.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Steven Wright (2015: 5-4, 4.09 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (2015: 13-8, 3.13)
Wright won the fifth starter's job in spring training over promising prospects Henry Owens and Brian Johnson after bouncing back and forth between the majors and minors, as well as the bullpen and the rotation, last season. The 31-year-old knuckleballer figures to hold the spot at least until left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) is ready to return. Wright is making his first career start against Toronto and has surrendered three runs and six hits in seven total innings of relief versus the division rivals.
Estrada signed a two-year, $26 million deal in the offseason after closing 2015 as the most reliable pitcher in the Blue Jays' rotation. The 32-year-old won two games in the postseason and allowed three earned runs or fewer in 15 of his final 16 starts, including the playoffs. Estrada did not face Boston during that hot stretch but is 2-2 with a 4.95 ERA and 14 walks in 20 total innings – three starts – against the Red Sox in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista hit his first two home runs of the season on Saturday.
2. Red Sox 3B Pablo Sandoval made his first start on Saturday and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
3. Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson (calf) served as DH in the last two games and is 3-for-9 with a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored in that span.