Angels at Blue Jays
The Los Angeles Angels continue to enjoy success at the Rogers Centre and try for a three-game sweep in Sunday's series finale with the host Toronto Blue Jays. Los Angeles (51-54) has won four straight and 13 of its last 17 north of the border after scoring three runs in the ninth inning to prevail 6-5 on Saturday despite a slumping Albert Pujols, who is hitless in his last 24 at-bats after going 0-for-3 with a walk.
"He hit a bullet to center (in the first inning)," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters about Pujols, whose slide is two at-bats shy of his career worst. "Seems like he's just missing some pitches, but he feels strong. He feels like he's starting to put better swings on the ball, and I think we can see some of that." Toronto fell to 7-9 since the All-Star break and could be sellers prior to Monday's non-waiver trade deadline. The Blue Jays' issues have nothing to do with Justin Smoak (.301 average, 29 home runs, 69 RBIs), who is batting .339 with six home runs since the All-Star break. Cesar Valdez made his first start with Toronto a winning one against his former club in his last game and opposes Jesse Chavez, who is coming off his shortest start of the season and hasn't won in his last eight outings (0-4).
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jesse Chavez (5-10, 5.35 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Cesar Valdez (1-0, 4.97)
Chavez escaped with a no-decision after allowing seven runs, five hits and four walks while striking out three in 2 1/3 innings of Los Angeles' 11-7 loss in Cleveland on Tuesday. The 33-year-old Californian has a 6.81 ERA over his last eight starts, yielding five home runs in his last three. Chavez is 1-4 with a 6.27 ERA in five games (three starts) versus Toronto, his former club, but has fared well against Kendrys Morales (2-for-13, five strikeouts) and Smoak (3-for-13, five strikeouts).
Valdez permitted one run, five hits and one walk while striking out four in six innings of a 4-1 victory over Oakland on Tuesday for his first win since his major league debut in 2010. The 32-year-old Dominican native was a rookie in 2010 with Arizona but didn't pitch in the majors again until 2017 with the Athletics, who waived him. The Blue Jays scooped him up May 5 and he allowed five runs (three earned) in 10 innings over four appearances before Tuesday.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto placed SS Troy Tulowitzki (.249) on the 10-day disabled list Saturday. Tulowitzki, who injured his ankle Friday, missed 31 games earlier this season with a hamstring injury and two contests last week because of a groin injury.
2. Angels SS Andrelton Simmons (.301) is batting .452 during an eight-game hitting streak after going 1-for-4 with two RBIs on Saturday.
3. The Blue Jays have a minus-61 run differential in 25 July games. The worst run differential for a month in club history is minus-69 in July 1977, Toronto's first season.