Series Preview: Can Blue Jays finally win a game vs. Red Sox?

August 4, 2023

The Toronto Blue Jays went 16-3 against the Boston Red Sox in 2022.

What a difference a year makes.

Light-hitting Toronto is 0-7 against the Red Sox this year heading into an important three-game weekend series at hitter-friendly Fenway Park.

The Red Sox are chasing the Blue Jays for the final American League wild-card spot, sitting just two games back after Toronto’s offence continued to misfire in a 3-1 series loss to the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre.

Here’s a look at the series.

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Probable Pitchers

Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET / 4:10 p.m. PT: Toronto RHP Alek Manoah (2-8, 5.87 ERA) vs. Boston LHP James Paxton (6-2, 3.34 ERA)

Saturday, 4:10 p.m. ET / 1:10 p.m. PT: Toronto RHP Jose Berrios (8-7, 3:31 ERA) vs. Boston TBA

Sunday, 1:35 p.m. ET / 10:35 a.m. PT: Toronto RHP Chris Bassitt (10-6, 4.00 ERA) vs. Boston TBA

Latest on the Blue Jays

The Blue Jays (60-50) scored a grand total of 10 runs in four games against the visiting Orioles, falling 7.5 games back of the division lead. Their record against Baltimore is now an unsightly 2-8.

New Orioles starter Jack Flaherty, acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals before Tuesday’s trade deadline, held the Blue Jays in check in a series-ending 6-1 win on Thursday. It dropped Toronto’s record against AL East foes to an awful 8-23.

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Trailing 3-0 on Thursday, the Blue Jays got one back in the sixth on a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single and then loaded the bases with one out. But Matt Chapman struck out and Alejandro Kirk flied out, ending the threat.

The only win in the series came Wednesday, when the Blue Jays broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth on two hit batters with the bases loaded and an error.

Needless to say, that’s not a traditional way to win games. If the bats don’t get going soon, it’s big trouble.

With that in mind, the Blue Jays are set to bring infield/outfield prospect Davis Schneider to Boston, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reported late Thursday. Schneider has hit 21 home runs for the triple-A Bisons this year.

Latest on the Red Sox

The Red Sox (57-51) blew a 3-0 lead after five and lost 6-3 in Seattle in the series finale on Wednesday, giving the Mariners a 2-1 series victory.

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The Red Sox bullpen, which has been pushed to the limit because of injuries to three starters, struggled after Kutter Crawford exited following five innings.

Boston essentially has been going with a three-man rotation for more than a month, mixing in bullpen days in a schedule that has been favourable in terms of off-days. Boston has won 17 of its past 26 games.

The Red Sox, who made just one minor move at the trade deadline, went 2-4 on their West Coast trip.

After Toronto, the Red Sox have three series against weak teams — the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals.

The heat will be on the Blue Jays if they lose more than they win this weekend in Boston.

Canadian Corner

Victoria right-hander Nick Pivetta has become one of the more important players on the Red Sox roster.

Used mostly in a bulk-innings role out of the bullpen, Pivetta made his first start since mid-May on Monday in Seattle and looked good — giving up three runs on five hits in a season-high 7.1 innings in a loss.

Opponents are hitting .144 against Pivetta in his past 16 appearances. It’s possible he could start one of the final two games against Toronto.

Paxton, a Ladner, B.C., native, makes his second start of the season against the Blue Jays, in the series opener. On June 30 in Toronto, Paxton pitched 7.2 scoreless innings in a Red Sox win, the final item on his resume that earned him the AL’s pitcher of the month award.

Paxton, 34, didn’t pitch at all in 2022 and made just one start in 2021 while battling injuries.

Injury Report

The Red Sox have been down three starters for more than a month — Chris Sale (shoulder), Tanner Houch (facial fracture) and Garrett Whitlock (elbow). All are expected back in the next couple of weeks.

There was hope shortstop Trevor Story (elbow) could make his season debut on Friday, but that has been pushed back.

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Designated hitter Justin Turner, however, is expected to return Friday after missing the past two games with a left heel contusion.

The Blue Jays have two key bullpen arms on the injured list: closer Jordan Romano (back) and Trevor Richards (neck).

Star shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) also is on the IL.

Season Series

Some of the most painful Blue Jays losses this year have come against the Red Sox. On Canada Day at Rogers Centre, Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo threw out Bichette at the plate to deny Toronto the tying run and end the game. The next day, Verdugo hit a go-ahead homer off Romano in the ninth to send the Red Sox to victory.

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Verdugo also hit a walk-off homer in the opener of a four-game series at Fenway Park on May 1 before Connor Wong took Erik Swanson out of the yard the next day in the eighth for the winning margin.

Out of Town

The New York Yankees-Houston Astros series, which started Thursday with a 4-3 New York win in the Bronx, is worth monitoring.

New York is 2.5 games behind the Blue Jays, while Houston sits in the second wild-card spot, two games ahead of Toronto.

The Seattle Mariners-Los Angeles Angels series, which opened with 5-3 Seattle win on Thursday thanks to a grand slam by Mariners rookie Cade Marlowe in the top of the ninth, also impacts the Blue Jays.

The Mariners are 2.5 games behind the Blue Jays, while the Angels are four back.

Up Next

The Blue Jays are in Cleveland starting Monday for four games against a Guardians team that was a seller at the trade deadline.