Yankees at Blue Jays
Newcomers are providing an early lift for the New York Yankees, who look to open 3-0 for the first time in 15 years when they continue a four-game series at the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. After Giancarlo Stanton had a memorable team debut by hitting two home run in the Yankees' 6-1 win on Opening Day, Brandon Drury went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in Friday's 4-2 victory.
Didi Gregorius added two hits and two runs scored while Masahiro Tanaka spun six solid innings for New York. The Blue Jays managed five hits against Tanaka and three relievers after recording only two in the opener and slugger Josh Donaldson is 0-for-7 with three strikeouts out of the gate. To make matters worse for Toronto, the team announced Friday that shortstop Troy Tulowitzki would miss eight weeks following surgery to remove bone spurs from both heels. The Yankees will try for their first series win in Toronto since Aug. 2015 with veteran left-hander CC Sabathia on the mound Saturday opposite Marco Estrada for the Blue Jays.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2017: 14-5, 3.69 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (2017: 10-9, 4.98)
Sabathia, who turns 38 in July, enjoyed a bounceback campaign in 2017 with his lowest ERA since 2012, going 7-2 with a 3.57 mark after the All-Star break. The six-time All-Star struggled against the Blue Jays, however, by giving up 15 runs on 25 hits - including four home runs - over 21 2/3 innings. Kendrys Morales is 9-for-25 with a home run against Sabathia, who is 8-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 14 career starts at Rogers Centre.
Estrada had career highs in starts (33), innings (186) and strikeouts (176) last year, but his ERA soared after he carried a 4-2 record and a 3.15 mark into June. The 34-year-old had three starts against the Yankees in which he lasted seven innings and allowed one run or fewer, and two others in which he was pounded for a combined 13 runs in 8 1/3 frames. Stanton, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez are a combined 15-for-41 with nine home runs and three doubles against Estrada.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees CF Aaron Hicks (intercostal strain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday and OF Billy McKinney was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
2. The Blue Jays have struck out 12 times in each of the first two games, with 2B Devon Travis and 1B Justin Smoak fanning four times apiece overall.
3. Stanton, Judge and Sanchez were a combined 0-for-12 with four strikeouts Friday.