The Los Angeles Angels will be looking for some payback Thursday night when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays to open a four-game series.
The Blue Jays swept the Angels in a three-game series Aug. 12-14 at Anaheim.
The Angels were outplayed in every aspect during that series and were outscored 19-5.
The Blue Jays have fallen on difficult times since that series, going 2-4 in losing three-game series to the host Chicago Cubs and the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
To make matters worse, Toronto led 6-0 on Wednesday night in the rubber game against Cincinnati only to see the lead dissolve into an 11-7 loss.
The Angels also are 2-4 since their series against the Blue Jays, dropping three-game series to the visiting Atlanta Braves and the host Kansas City Royals.
The Angels lost 3-0 to the Royals on Wednesday night in the decisive game of the series.
Toronto won the season series vs. the Angels 4-2 in 2023. Since 2022, the Blue Jays have won nine of the 10 head-to-head games at Anaheim, but the Angels have won four of six in Toronto.
The Blue Jays have not announced a starting pitcher for Thursday.
Toronto was initially going to start right-hander Chris Bassitt. Instead, the Blue Jays decided to give their starters an extra day of rest, which pushed Bassitt back to Friday.
It is possible that left-handed reliever Ryan Yarbrough (4-2, 3.95 ERA), who has starting experience, could open for a bullpen game on Thursday. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “Yarbrough will be a part of it.”
Yarbrough is 3-3 with a 5.87 ERA in eight career games (three starts) against the Angels.
It is the regular day to pitch for Angels right-hander Griffin Canning (4-11, 5.41). He is expected to start but could follow an opener. Canning is 0-0 with a 6.52 ERA in two career starts against Toronto.
The Blue Jays have hit eight home runs over the past two games, including three by George Springer.
Springer led off the first on Wednesday with his 17th homer of the season. It was the 60th of his career to lead off a game, second on the all-time list to Rickey Henderson (81).
The Blue Jays learned on Wednesday that former Reds star and Toronto native Joey Votto was retiring from playing. He had been with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A team at Buffalo but did not play for Toronto.
“An unbelievable career,” Schneider said. “Getting to know him briefly in spring was a treat for everyone. I don’t have all of the details and haven’t spoken to him yet, but what a unique player and wonderful person.”
Angels outfielder Kevin Pillar is looking forward to the series in Toronto. He played for the Blue Jays from 2013-19.
“It was a big part of my early baseball career, going to that stadium,” Pillar said. “My wife is going this time. She hasn’t been back since 2019. So, it will be nice to spend a little time there.”
Pillar remembered a catch that changed his career.
“It was Jackie Robinson Day in 2015 and I was able to rob a home run playing left field,” Pillar said. “I think the perception of what I could do defensively changed right there for everyone in the organization. Shortly after that, they moved me to center field and I kind of ran with that position for about five years.”
–Field Level Media