Yankees at Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays ended a 22-year postseason drought in 2015 and one of the biggest reasons why was their success against the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays look to continue the mastery of their American League East rivals when they host the Yankees on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series.
Toronto, which halted a four-game skid with a 3-0 win over Boston on Sunday, went 13-6 against New York last season and won nine of 13 matchups over the past two months en route to the AL East title. "They're basically the same team," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. "Obviously they're very talented and they swing the bats extremely well. To me, you've got to stay away from giving that team extra outs, because if you do, they're going to kill you." New York split the first two meetings of its road trip at Detroit before Sunday's series finale was postponed due to inclement weather. That could be a break for the Yankees, allowing them to send ace Masahiro Tanaka to the mound on Tuesday.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (0-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (0-0, 1.29)
Tanaka showed no ill effects with his surgically repaired right elbow in his season debut, allowing two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings versus Houston. The 27-year-old Japanese standout has enjoyed ample success against Toronto's heavy-hitting lineup, posting a 5-2 record and 2.23 average in seven career starts, including seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball on Sept. 13 and a complete game at Rogers Centre in mid-August. Edwin Encarnacion has been a nemesis for Tanaka, going 7-for-14.
Sanchez turned in a sparkling effort in his season debut at Tampa Bay, limiting the Rays to one run on five hits while striking out a career-high eight over seven innings, only to be saddled with a no-decision when the bullpen blew the lead. The 23-year-old Californian has spent the bulk of his brief career in the bullpen, making only 11 starts in 65 appearances over his first two seasons. Sanchez has never started against the Yankees, but is 1-2 with a 3.48 ERA and .194 batting average against in 10 outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees 2B Starlin Castro, an offseason acquisition from the Cubs, is 9-for-20, including his 1,000th career hit.
2. Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson already has four homers and nine RBIs while hitting safely in all seven.
3. Yankees OF Jacoby Ellsbury has hit safely in four straight games.