Tigers at Blue Jays
Toronto's J.A. Happ won't be pitching north of the border for much longer if he continues his tear as contending teams are sure to line up for the talented left-hander prior to the July 31 trade deadline. Happ tries to further enhance his resume when he vies for his seventh straight victory Sunday as the Blue Jays host the Detroit Tigers on Canada Day in the third contest of their four-game series.
The New York Yankees are among the clubs rumored to be interested in Happ, who is 1-1 with 3.72 ERA in 10 postseason games (three starts) with Philadelphia (2008-09) and Toronto (2016). Happ will be opposed Sunday by Jordan Zimmermann, who has pitched five innings in each of his two starts since returning from the disabled list (right shoulder) with both resulting in no-decisions. Zimmermann will try to help Detroit snap an 11-game losing streak -- its longest since 2003 -- after Justin Smoak led off the ninth inning with a home run in the Blue Jays' 4-3 victory Saturday, giving them 10 wins in their last 11 home games. Nick Castellanos (.309, 12 home runs, 49 RBIs) hit a two-run homer Saturday and is 11-for-27 with three home runs, eight RBIs and six runs scored in his last seven games for the Tigers, who last lost 12 straight in 1996.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (2-0, 4.35 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (10-3, 3.62)
Zimmermann allowed four hits, one walk and struck out three while not yielding a run in Detroit's 5-4 loss to Oakland on Monday. The 32-year-old Wisconsin native permitted four runs (three earned) and four hits with four strikeouts in the Tigers' 7-5 victory over the White Sox in Chicago on June 16 in his first start since May 5. Zimmermann is 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA in three starts versus Toronto but will be pitching at Rogers Centre for the first time.
Happ allowed three runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out four in six innings of a 6-3 victory at Houston on Monday. The 35-year-old Illinois native is 6-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last eight starts, including a no-decision when he yielded four runs and struck out eight in five innings of the Blue Jays' 7-4 loss at Detroit on June 2. Castellanos is 9-for-16 and Victor Martinez 2-for-16 against Happ, who is 3-1 with a 4.10 ERA in nine games (eight starts) versus the Tigers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Detroit RHP Alex Wilson (0-3, 3.94 ERA) left Saturday's game in the eighth inning because of a sore left calf.
2. Toronto placed RHP Ryan Tepera (right elbow inflammation) on the disabled list Saturday and recalled RHP Jake Petricka from Triple-A Buffalo. Tepera blew saves in his last two appearances.
3. Tigers RHP Buck Farmer (3-3, 4.74 ERA) hasn't allowed a run in his last nine appearances, winning twice and yielding four hits and eight walks while striking out eight during that span.