Blue Jays at Red Sox
Two games into the Christian Vazquez era and the Boston Red Sox pitching staff looks completely different. Vazquez will try to guide the staff to a third straight strong outing when the Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays in the third of a four-game series on Sunday.
Vazquez has guided the rotation to back-to-back quality starts for the first time this season in his two outings since coming off the disabled list following Tommy John surgery that wiped out his entire 2015 campaign. The Boston pitchers surrendered a total of nine hits in the last two games and Vazquez has provided some support at the plate as well by going 3-for-7 with two runs scored. The Blue Jays are 1-4 in five games against the Red Sox in the young season and have some questions about the offense beyond the trio of Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. Those three have accounted for seven of Toronto’s nine hits in the series and were the only players in Saturday’s lineup to finish the game with batting averages above .214.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (0-0, 1.38 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Steven Wright (0-1, 1.35)
Sanchez formed a dominant late-game duo with closer Roberto Osuna last season but is trying to make it as a starter in 2016 and has been strong in two outings. The 23-year-old surrendered one earned run in each of the two turns and yielded a total of eight hits in 13 innings but was held out of the decision in each due to a lack of run support. Sanchez is 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA in 10 career games – two starts – against Boston in his career.
Wright made his season debut in Toronto last weekend and had the misfortune of starting the only game this season in which the Red Sox offense failed to put up at least four runs. The knuckleballer allowed two runs – one earned – on six hits and three walks while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings. Wright is looking for his first win against the Blue Jays and is 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA in three career games against the division rivals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts hit the decisive three-run homer on Saturday and has hit safely in eight straight games.
2. Encarnacion has driven in four of Toronto’s five runs in the series.
3. Blue Jays SS Troy Tulowitzki is 5-for-42 with 14 strikeouts.