Indians at Blue Jays
The host Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians will meet for the first time since the American League Championship Series last October when they open a three-game set Monday night at the Rogers Centre. The Indians won the ALCS in five games en route to a World Series loss to the Chicago Cubs and they have opened 2017 in significantly better fashion than the Blue Jays.
Five Cleveland pitchers combined on a one-hitter in Sunday's 1-0 win at Kansas City in the rubber match of a three-game set that vaulted the Indians into first place in the AL Central. Toronto also won two of three in Tampa Bay over the weekend - capped by Sunday's 2-1 triumph - but it continues to hold down the worst record in the AL East at 11-20. Marcus Stroman will start the opener for the Blue Jays, five days after leaving a start at the New York Yankees with armpit tightness after three innings. He will be opposed by struggling right-hander Trevor Bauer, who has a 9.15 ERA in four starts at night this season.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), Sportsnet One (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (2-3, 7.67 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (2-2, 3.89)
Bauer has just one quality start through his first five turns and is coming off his worst start of the season last Monday at Detroit. The Tigers got to the 26-year-old for seven runs on seven hits and five walks in four innings, as Bauer served up his sixth home run of the year and struck out a season-low three. The former first-round selection has a 6.27 ERA in four career games (three starts) against Toronto.
Stroman gave up five runs on six hits and three walks in his abbreviated outing in the Bronx but allowed two runs or fewer in four of five starts in April. He allowed two home runs against the Yankees after giving up just two over his first five starts. The 26-year-old, who lost his only appearance in the ALCS, has a 3.52 ERA in three games (two starts) in the regular season against Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians LF Michael Brantley left Sunday's win with a sprained right ankle and is expected to miss a game or two.
2. Toronto RF Jose Bautista went 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts in the weekend series against Tampa Bay.
3. Cleveland DH Edwin Encarnacion makes his return to Toronto, where he played eight years and slugged 239 home runs before signing with the Indians in the offseason.