Blue Jays at Yankees
Aaron Judge became the first New York Yankees player under the age of 26 to be voted an All-Star starter since Willie Randolph in 1973 on Sunday and he remains an MVP candidate, but he is having some trouble dragging the Yankees into the win column. The Yankees will try to take advantage of a slumping division foe when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
New York has lost 14 of its last 19 contests to slip three games behind the rival Boston Red Sox despite a roster that includes five AL All-Stars. "Nobody is as disappointed in the way the last few weeks have gone than the guys in this room," veteran outfielder Brett Gardner told reporters after an 8-1 loss at Houston on Sunday. "That being said, we're only a couple of games out of first place. We have had a good first half. We just couldn't seem to come through with the big hit." The Blue Jays spent their weekend getting swept by the Red Sox, capped by a 15-1 drubbing on Sunday, and are losers of four straight and eight of their last 10 games. Toronto will try to get things right behind right-hander Marcus Stroman on Monday while the Yankees counter with Masahiro Tanaka.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Toronto), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (8-4, 3.41 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (6-7, 5.56)
Stroman bounced back from a poor start with one of his best on Wednesday, when he scattered five hits and one walk while striking out eight in 7 2/3 scoreless innings to earn a win over the Baltimore Orioles. The Duke product was lit up for seven runs in four innings at Texas on June 22 but surrendered three or fewer runs in five of his last six turns. Stroman yielded two runs and five hits in six innings against New York on June 4 and is 5-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 10 career starts versus the Yankees.
Tanaka seems to be pulling out of the funk that caused him to suffer six losses in seven starts and is coming off his first win since early May. The Japan native, who tossed eight scoreless innings without factoring in the decision on June 23 against Texas, scattered two runs and six hits over six frames at the Chicago White Sox to win on Wednesday. Tanaka was not at his best against Toronto on May 2 but still managed a win while surrendering four runs in 6 1/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees C Gary Sanchez, 2B Starlin Castro and RHPs Luis Severino and Dellin Betances joined Judge on the All-Star team.
2. Toronto 1B Justin Smoak was voted an All-Star starter and is the team's lone representative.
3. New York RHP Adam Warren (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Sunday and could be activated off the disabled list during the series.