The Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game home series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday. Kevin Gausman will make his third start of the season.
It’s been a rocky start for the Blue Jays ace, having put together a great first performance of the year against the Tampa Bay Rays in which he fanned six batters and allowed just one earned run across four and two-third innings. On a pitch count after dealing with a shoulder ailment in Spring Training, he threw 69 pitches that night.
Then, there was the Yankees start. In game two of the Jays’ series against the Bronx Bombers last week, he lasted just one and one-third innings, coughing up five earned runs and two homers. Gausman said after that start, the weather played a factor in it, and truth be told, there’s no reason to panic.
Gausman is simply too good of a pitcher not to find his way, and tonight offers a chance for him to utilize his strongest asset: his ability to strike batters out. On the season, the Rockies have struck out at a 26.9 percent rate against right-handed pitching, so look for Gausman to generate a lot of swing and miss.
First pitch: 7:07 p.m. EST. TV & Radio: Sportsnet.
Weather: N/A
Starting pitchers:
| Name | Team | GS | W | L | IP | ERA | xERA | ERA- | FIP | WHIP | K/9 | BB/9 |
| Kevin Gausman | TOR | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5.2 | 9.53 | 17.44 | 256 | 9.57 | 1.41 | 9.53 | 3.18 |
| Ryan Feltner | COL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 3.27 | 2.62 | 64 | 3.22 | 1 | 11.45 | 3.27 |
Lineups:
TORONTO:
- G Springer (R) RF
- V Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
- B Bichette (R) SS
- J Turner (R) DH
- C Biggio (L) 2B
- A Kirk (R) C
- D Varsho (L) LF
- I Kiner-Falefa (R) 3B
- K Kiermaier (L) CF
- E Tovar (R) SS
- R McMahon (L) 3B
- K Bryant (R) DH
- E Díaz (R) C
- N Jones (L) LF
- E Montero (R) 1B
- B Rodgers (R) 2B
- M Toglia (S) RF
- B Doyle (R) CF
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Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
