The visiting Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox will take care of some unfinished business on Monday when they play a day-night doubleheader.
Toronto will attempt to extend its four-game winning streak when the teams finish a June 26 game that was suspended by rain in the top of the second inning. Neither team has officially announced a starting pitcher for that contest.
The Blue Jays completed a four-game series sweep of the Los Angeles Angels by posting an 8-2 victory on Sunday. Addison Barger and Alejandro Kirk each hit a two-run home run in that win. Barger went 2-for-3 with a walk and homered for the second time in the series. His ninth-inning blast on Friday gave Toronto a 5-4 victory.
“Pretty confident (in the batter’s box),” Barger told Sportsnet. “I’ve been putting in a lot of work and it’s working out pretty well.”
Sunday’s win marked the fourth time Toronto has swept an opponent this season.
“Not easy to sweep anyone at any time of the year,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “It’s a good feeling for the young guys — for everyone really. It’s nice to get out and play good baseball.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed Friday that he plans to use catcher Danny Jansen in Monday’s first game. Jansen, who was acquired by Boston from Toronto on July 27, was batting for the Blue Jays when the June 26 game was suspended. If he does play, he would become the first player to play for both teams in the same major league game.
“I’m just going to put my head down and play,” Jansen said. “It’s definitely a cool thing. But at the end of the day, I want to win a ball game and do everything I can to prepare for it.”
Boston’s struggles since the All-Star break continued over the weekend, when the Red Sox were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game series at home. The Red Sox hit .211 in the three games. It was the third time Boston has been swept at home this season.
The Red Sox have a 14-20 record since the All-Star break and have been outscored by 31 runs in those 34 games. Sunday’s loss to Arizona dropped Boston’s home record to 5-10 during that stretch, and Boston is 29-35 at home overall.
Arizona’s Eugenio Suarez had eight hits, including two home runs, and 10 RBIs in the series.
“They’re really good at what they do,” Cora said of the Diamondbacks. “Suarez … he was a monster the whole weekend.”
Cora is optimistic about the upcoming five meetings with the Blue Jays, though.
“We lost three games,” Cora said. “We got to turn the page just like we’ve been doing all season and be ready for (Monday).”
The pitching matchup for Monday’s second game features Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (12-9, 3.79 ERA) and Boston righty Nick Pivetta (5-8, 4.70).
Berrios is 3-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 14 career starts against Boston.
Pivetta is 3-4 with a 5.23 ERA in 16 career appearances (14 starts) against Toronto. He’s given up 18 home runs in 86 innings against the Blue Jays.
–Field Level Media