Blue Jays at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays look to win their second home series of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays when the American League East rivals meet for the rubber match of a three-game set Sunday afternoon. The Rays rebounded after coughing up two leads to lose the series opener by rolling to a 6-1 victory on Saturday as first baseman Logan Morrison remained hot with his team-leading seventh homer.
Morrison, who was signed a one-year deal in February, is 7-for-15 with a pair of blasts during a five-game hitting streak while Evan Longoria appears to be breaking out of his slump by going 6-for-11 his last three games for Tampa Bay. Alex Cobb will take the mound for the Rays on Sunday after blanking Miami last time out and the Blue Jays counter with fellow right-hander Joe Biagini, who will make his first major-league start. Toronto, which lost three of four at Tampa Bay last month, managed just four hits and no walks in Saturday’s loss and has dropped three of four games after winning a season-high three in a row. Slugger Kendrys Morales had two of the four hits for the Blue Jays and is 9-for-23 with three doubles and three homers in six games at Tropicana Field this season.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet 360 (Toronto), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Joe Biagini (0-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. Rays RH Alex Cobb (2-2, 3.86)
Biagini has worked in relief 74 times in his first two seasons in the majors, including 14 in 2017, and has struggled of late while allowing six runs over 5 2/3 innings in four outings - after permitting one tally in the first 10. The 26-year-old California native made 86 starts in 89 appearances in the minor leagues and had a 2.42 ERA at Double-A in 2015. Biagini permitted one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings of relief against Tampa Bay this season and Steven Souza Jr. is 3-for-4 against him with a homer.
Cobb comes in off his best start since returning from Tommy John surgery last year, allowing four hits in six scoreless innings to conquer Miami last Tuesday. The 29-year-old Boston native was winless in four starts before besting the Marlins last time out and opponents are batting .298 against him overall, but he has 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 35 frames. Morales is 4-for-13 against Cobb, who has missed the Blue Jays this season but is 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in six career starts versus Toronto.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto 1B Justin Smoak saw his six-game hitting streak come to an end Saturday after going 0-for-3.
2. Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier, who left the series opener with a sore right hand after he was hit by a pitch, went 1-for-4 on Saturday.
3. The Blue Jays are last in the AL with eight stolen bases and their catchers have thrown out just three of 21 runners attempting to steal.