Blue Jays at Angels
Mike Trout was unable to play in the field in his 1,000th career game and again will serve as the designated hitter when the Los Angeles Angels host the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday for the second contest of their four-game series. Trout is nursing a sprained right index finger that affects his throwing, and the injury will prohibit him from playing center field for a "few days," according to the Angels.
Trout, who leads the majors with 23 homers, went 0-for-2 with three walks and scored twice in the series opener as Los Angeles recorded an 8-5 victory. Luis Valbuena registered his eighth career multi-homer performance with a pair of shots and drove in three runs while Kole Calhoun added a two-run blast. The Blue Jays have dropped nine of their last 10 road games after losing the opener of a seven-game trip that concludes with three in Houston. Toronto's Kendrys Morales, who went 2-for-3 with a homer against his former team, has gone deep in back-to-back games and has recorded two hits in eight of his last 13 contests.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (4-6, 4.66 ERA) vs. Angels LH Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.64)
Estrada is in the midst of a solid stretch during which he is 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA over three starts. The 34-year-old defeated Washington in his last turn as he gave up three hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Estrada lost to the Angels on May 24, when he gave up four runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 frames, and is 1-2 with a 6.95 ERA over four career starts against Los Angeles.
Heaney came away without a decision in his last turn after giving up three runs and three hits while striking out eight in as many innings against Oakland. The 27-year-old originally was scheduled to start Saturday but was moved up a day due to an injury to left-hander Tyler Skaggs. Heaney was roughed up for eight runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 frames of a loss to the Blue Jays on August 22, 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles 2B Ian Kinsler struck out three times over five hitless at-bats in the opener after fanning just four times over his previous 21 games.
2. Toronto RHP Aaron Sanchez (finger) departed Thursday's game after one inning and X-rays taken after his departure were negative.
3. Skaggs (hamstring) was scratched prior to Thursday's scheduled start and will be re-evaluated on Friday.