Rays at Blue Jays
Former American League MVP Josh Donaldson suffered through a difficult July, but he has been a big factor in keeping the Toronto Blue Jays on the fringe of the race for a wild-card spot this month. Donaldson aims for his fifth straight multi-hit performance as the Blue Jays vie for a series victory when they host the sliding Tampa Bay Rays in the finale on Thursday afternoon.
Donaldson batted .216 in July and there were rumors he could be traded, but he has rebounded with a .383 average and seven homers this month - including a 9-for-17 effort during a five-game hitting streak after recording two hits in Wednesday’s 3-2 victory. Toronto is 9-5 in August and sits 3 ½ games out of the second wild-card spot as Army veteran Chris Rowley makes his second major-league start Thursday against Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer, who is 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA in three outings against the Blue Jays in 2017. The Rays suffered their ninth loss in 12 contests Wednesday and are just one game ahead of the Blue Jays in the race for a wild card. Tampa Bay has scored two runs or fewer in nine of those dozen games and stranded nine baserunners - three in the seventh inning - while going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in its latest defeat.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (8-7, 3.84 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Chris Rowley (1-0, 1.69)
Archer saw his 15-game streak of completing six innings come to an end Saturday, when he allowed three runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 frames of a loss to Cleveland. The 28-year-old North Carolina native, who is 5-3 on the road this year, has managed to post one win in his last seven outings but has recorded five quality starts in that stretch. Kendrys Morales is 15-for-25 with three homers and eight RBIs versus Archer, who is 6-4 with a 3.13 ERA in 22 career starts against the Blue Jays.
Rowley won his major-league debut on Saturday against Pittsburgh, permitting one run, five hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. “It was actually the best I’ve seen him throwing his sinker away to right-handed hitters,” Blue Jays catcher Raffy Lopez told MLB.com. “Usually, it tends to move over the plate, but today, it was the best he’s been able to locate it down and away.” The 27-year-old Rowley was 6-6 with a 2.29 ERA in 27 games (11 starts) in the minors.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rays 3B Evan Longoria is 8-for-48 with no homers and two RBIs since posting four hits in the first game of the month.
2. Toronto OF Steve Pearce is 4-for-11 in the series with three extra-base hits, including a solo homer on Wednesday.
3. Tampa Bay RHP Steve Cishek has not given up a run in nine innings since being acquired from Seattle.