Yankees at Blue Jays
New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge was the talk of the town in the tabloids prior to the All-Star break, amassing a majors-best 30 homers while heightening expectations in the Big Apple. The 25-year-old has slowed considerably since then, but looks to gain momentum from a three-run homer in his last outing when the visiting Yankees open a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday at Rogers Centre.
"He's getting back to the right approach. He doesn't need to pull the ball to hit home run. He just needs to stay on the ball, and that will do it,” manager Joe Girardi said of Judge, who is hitting .182 with 35 strikeouts since July 14. Judge belted a 456-foot homer against Tuesday starter J.A. Happ in their last encounter on July 4, although the veteran left-hander limited the fireworks from there to scatter four hits over six innings in Toronto's 4-1 victory. While the Yankees have won two straight to reside three games behind first-place Boston in the AL East, the cellar-dwelling Blue Jays were left reeling after surrendering four runs in the ninth of a 7-6 setback to Houston on Sunday. Jose Bautista launched a two-run homer in that outing, but is batting a woeful .149 with 13 strikeouts in his career versus Tuesday starter CC Sabathia.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (9-4, 3.81 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (4-8, 3.92)
Sabathia allowed four runs for the second straight outing after surrendering two homers in six innings of a 4-3 loss to Detroit last Tuesday. The 37-year-old struggled in his last encounter with Toronto, permitting four runs in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss in a 4-1 setback on July 4. Kendrys Morales (.348) and Justin Smoak (.304) have fared well in 23 career at-bats each versus Sabathia, who has split a pair of decisions over three starts versus the Blue Jays this season despite surrendering 11 runs on 15 hits in 13 innings.
Happ followed his victory over the Yankees on July 4 with an 0-3 mark in four outings before snapping that winless stretch on Wednesday. The 34-year-old allowed one run on six hits and struck out a season-high 10 in seven innings of a 5-1 triumph at the floundering Chicago White Sox. Happ has recorded seven quality starts in his last 10 outings, but only has a 4-4 mark to show for it.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto CF Kevin Pillar has scored a run in each contest of his six-game hitting streak.
2. Yankees OF Brett Gardner, who has hit safely in 17 of his last 18 outings overall, is batting .300 with three homers versus the Blue Jays this season.
3. Blue Jays RHP Roberto Osuna has endured blown saves in three of his last five opportunities.