Orioles at Blue Jays
The Baltimore Orioles look to win their fourth straight on the road when they visit the struggling Toronto Blue Jays for the third of a four-game set on Saturday afternoon. The Orioles have won seven of their first nine games to open the season after a 6-4 triumph with four homers on Friday while Toronto is still searching for its second victory of the season.
Chris Davis and Adam Jones have each hit safely in eight of their first nine games this season for Baltimore, which leads the American League East and is averaging 4.6 runs in the early going. The Blue Jays, one of the most feared offensive teams the last few seasons, managed more than two runs Friday for just the fourth time this season. Jose Bautista (.135), Steve Pearce (.143), Russell Martin (.071) and Devon Travis (.105) have yet to get going for Toronto, which placed former AL MVP Josh Donaldson (calf) on the disabled list Friday. The Blue Jays will turn to right-hander Marco Estrada on Saturday, but they will need to get an offense going that is ranked last in the majors in runs scored (24), hits (57) and batting average (.190).
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MASN, WJZ (Baltimore), Sportsnet 360 (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Alec Asher (2016: 2-1, 2.28 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (0-1, 5.73)
Asher makes his season and Orioles debut after being acquired from Philadelphia last month for a player to be named later. The 25-year-old Florida native was suspended for 80 games last season for violating major league baseball’s drug policy and ended up 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA in five starts with the Phillies. Asher has never faced the Blue Jays and made just one start against an American League team, giving up seven runs in 3 2/3 innings against Boston.
Estrada gave up two runs over six innings against Baltimore to open the season, but struggled last time out in a loss to Tampa Bay while yielding five runs and seven hits. The 33-year-old from Mexico, who finished 9-9 with a 3.48 ERA in 2016, gave up three homers in the loss to the Rays last Sunday and has surrendered at least 20 blasts in three straight seasons. Welington Castillo is 8-for-26 with four homers versus Estrada, who is 4-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his career against Baltimore.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays 1B Justin Smoak belted a home run and knocked in two runs Friday after going 0-for-9 in his previous four games.
2. The Orioles acquired LHP Paul Fry from Seattle for an international bonus slot and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk.
3. Toronto recalled UTIL Chris Coghlan to take Donaldson’s place on the roster.