Blue Jays at White Sox
The Toronto Blue Jays believe they can get back into the wild card race in the American League, and the offense is certainly up to the challenge. The Blue Jays will try to ride their bats to a series win when they visit the Chicago White Sox in the rubber match of a three-game series on Wednesday afternoon.
Toronto is six games behind the Kansas City Royals for the second wild card spot and totaled 25 runs in winning two of its last three games. The Blue Jays continue to be led by All-Star first baseman Justin Smoak, who homered in each of the first two games of the series and four of the last seven to push his season total to 31 - 11 more than his previous career high. The White Sox are just searching for any signs that their young core will be able to lead them to the playoffs sometime in the near future but are dealing with a series of injuries, the latest being a bruised wrist for Matt Davidson after a hit-by-pitch on Tuesday. J.A. Happ will try to hold Chicago down and give his offense a chance to get to struggling White Sox lefty Derek Holland on Wednesday.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (3-8, 4.15 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Derek Holland (5-10, 5.42).
Happ is trying to snap a four-start winless streak but turned in a quality start against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks over six innings. The veteran bounced back after getting ripped for seven runs and nine hits in six innings at Cleveland on July 23. Happ earned a win over the White Sox on June 18, when he yielded three runs and struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings.
Holland is winless in his last seven starts and owns just two quality starts in his last 10 outings. The 30-year-old failed to complete six innings in any of his last five outings and was ripped for six runs on nine hits and five walks without notching a strikeout in 4 1/3 innings against Cleveland on Friday. Holland did not see Toronto earlier this season and is 2-5 with a 4.47 ERA in nine home starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The White Sox place RF Willy Garcia on the seven-day concussion disabled list and promoted UTL Nicky Delmonico.
2. Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson homered in each of the first two games of the series.
3. Chicago 2B Yoan Moncada (knee) is day-to-day but is unlikely to play Wednesday.