Blue Jays at Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies' pitching staff slowly is changing the narrative of Citizens Bank Park being labeled as hitter-friendly by recording three shutouts in the team's last eight home contests. Zach Eflin will bid to keep the good times going on Friday as the Phillies (28-19) open a three-game interleague series against the struggling Toronto Blue Jays (23-27).
"Our pitching has been really strong. That leads me to believe our staff is really good, to hold (the Braves) down like that," Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler said after the team moved within a half-game of first place in the National League East by shutting out Atlanta twice in a three-game series. Carlos Santana, who signed a three-year, $60 million deal in the offseason, has recorded back-to-back two-hit performances to improve to 19-for-70 in May after going 15-for-98 to begin the season. While Philadelphia's 18-7 home mark is tied with the New York Yankees for the best in the majors, Toronto begins a nine-game road trip with losses in nine of its last 11 overall. "I'm ready to get on the road, there's no doubt. This was a brutal homestand for us," manager John Gibbons said after Thursday's 8-1 setback against the Los Angeles Angels.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), NBC 10 (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Sam Gaviglio (1-0, 0.93 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Zach Eflin (1-0, 1.56)
Gaviglio stepped up in the absence of Marcus Stroman (shoulder) to scatter six hits and match a career high with six strikeouts over 5 1/3 scoreless innings in a no-decision versus Oakland on Saturday. "He did an excellent job. He showed us a lot," Gibbons said of the 28-year-old. Gaviglio will make his 20th career appearance and first versus the Phillies on Friday.
Eflin escaped with a no-decision on Saturday after allowing four runs in 4 2/3 innings against St. Louis while walking three batters for the second straight outing. The 24-year-old has kept the ball in the park in each of his last two trips to the mound, a significantly better showing than his lone previous encounter with Toronto. Eflin was taken deep three times - with Josh Donaldson belting a grand slam - while being scorched for eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in his major-league debut versus the Blue Jays on June 14, 2016.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder) felt fine after a bullpen session and will return to the rotation on Saturday, Gibbons told reporters.
2. Philadelphia 2B Cesar Hernandez has hit safely in 16 of his last 20 games, scoring 15 times in the process.
3. Blue Jays 3B Yangervis Solarte has homered twice and drove in six runs during his six-game hitting streak.