Rays at Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to have ace Aaron Sanchez back on the mound when they try to win their first home series of the season Sunday as the Tampa Bay Rays visit for the rubber match of a three-game set. Sanchez, who went 15-2 in his first season as a full-time starter in 2016, has missed two weeks with a blister on the middle finger of his right hand and is ready to face the Rays for the second time this month.
Justin Smoak snapped out of a 1-for-11 slump by drilling a two-run homer among three hits Saturday as the Blue Jays recorded a 4-1 victory to even the series. Sanchez owns a 1.27 ERA in 12 appearances (four starts) against Tampa Bay and will oppose fellow right-hander Chris Archer, who is 6-4 with a 3.17 ERA in 20 career starts against Toronto. The Rays have won two of five contests on their eight-game road trip after going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 men on base in Saturday’s loss. Corey Dickerson continues to swing a hot bat for Tampa Bay, going 12-for-32 with three homers and four RBIs over his last eight games to raise his average to .337.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet One (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (2-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (0-1, 4.38)
Archer has not been as sharp in his last two starts after beginning the season with three strong outings in which he allowed a combined five runs. The 28-year-old North Carolina native yielded nine runs and 13 hits over 11 2/3 innings while going 0-1 in his past two starts and boasts 32 strikeouts in 32 frames overall. Kendrys Morales is 11-for-19 with a pair of homers versus Archer, who limited the Blue Jays to two runs over 7 2/3 innings in a no-decision on April 8.
Sanchez has not pitched since April 14 when he permitted five runs on seven hits (three homers) and a walk over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to Baltimore. The 24-year-old Californian started his season with a quality outing at Tampa Bay as he gave up one run on four hits over seven frames without factoring in the decision. Sanchez has kept Evan Longoria (1-for-17) and Logan Morrison (1-for-13) in check and went 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts against the Rays last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay OF Steven Souza Jr. left Saturday’s game in the seventh inning after getting hit by a pitch on the left hand, but X-rays were negative and he is day-to-day.
2. Toronto C Russell Martin is rebounding from a slow start, going 9-for-22 with a pair of homers and three RBIs to raise his average from .103 to .213.
3. Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier has cooled off of late, managing just one hit in 28 at-bats over the last seven games with 10 strikeouts.