The Toronto Blue Jays should get a boost from plenty of Canadian fans when they play their final series before the all-star break against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park this weekend.
The border-crossing supporters would love to see Alek Manoah enjoy some of his 2022 success when he returns to a major-league mound for Friday’s series opener after a month in the minors.
The club’s opening-day starter had a horrible start to the 2023 campaign before the club shipped him down to the Florida Complex League early last month. After a promising outing for double-A New Hampshire on Sunday (one run in five innings, 10 strikeouts), Manoah will get a chance to show he has made progress in the Motor City.
Here’s a look at the Blue Jays-Tigers series.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT: Toronto RHP Alek Manoah (1-7, 6.36 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Faedo (1-3, 5.54 ERA)
Saturday, 1:10 p.m. ET / 10:10 a.m. PT: Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (7-4, 3.04 ERA) vs. Detroit RHP Matt Manning (2-1, 4.84 ERA)
Sunday, 1:40 p.m. ET / 10:40 a.m. PT: Toronto RHP Chris Bassitt (8-5, 4.09 ERA) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
All games on Sportsnet and Sportsnet NOW.
Latest on the Blue Jays
The roller-coaster feel that has defined the Blue Jays’ season continued this week with a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox in the Windy City.
After Wednesday’s game was rained out, the Blue Jays (48-40) swept a doubleheader on Thursday — winning 6-2 in 11 innings in the opener after 10 scoreless frames and 5-4 in the nightcap thanks in large part to two Whit Merrifield home runs and a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. go-ahead double.
The sweep came on the heels of the opposite result against those other Sox — an 0-3 Canada Day weekend at Rogers Centre against Boston.
Toronto is now tied for third in the AL East with the New York Yankees, eight games behind the front-running Tampa Bay Rays.
The Yankees and Blue Jays also are tied for the third and final wild-card spot.
Latest on the Tigers
The Tigers (38-48) avoided a sweep at the hands of the lowly Oakland A’s with a 9-0 win in the third and final game of their series on Thursday in Detroit.
Starter Michael Lorenzen (three hits, five innings) and three relievers combined on a four-hit shutout.
The win came after Detroit was outscored 13-3 in the first two games of the series.
The Tigers are six games behind the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins.
Manoah vs. Tigers
Manoah makes his return against one of the worst offensive teams in baseball.
The Tigers are 28th out of 30 MLB teams in OPS, 28th in batting average and tied for 24th in home runs.
However, Manoah wasn’t great against this Tigers team in the 2023 home opener at Rogers Centre. He gave up three runs on four hits and five walks in 4.1 innings. The bullpen shut the door after that and the bats erupted for five in the eighth en route to a 9-3 win.
This will mark Manoah’s first start for Toronto since the June 5 disaster when he recorded just one out and gave up six runs against the Houston Astros.
Lone Star
Lorenzen is the Tigers’ lone all-star. He is 3-6 with a 4.03 ERA this season.
Last Call
This will be the last time Tigers legend Miguel Cabrera faces the Blue Jays.
Cabrera is slashing .248/.330/.331 with one homer and 13 RBIs this season. He’s off to a good start in July (4-for-9, one walk, two strikeouts).
On the Mend
Faedo, who faces Manoah, will pitch for the first time since being sidelined with a finger injury after his May 31 start.
Skubal (elbow), Sunday’s starter, made his season debut on Tuesday and pitched four hitless innings.
Outfielders Akil Baddoo (quad strain) and Riley Greene (leg) also could return versus the Blue Jays.
Season Series
The Blue Jays won two of three against the Tigers in their first series of the season at Rogers Centre.
Vladdy’s Kind of Town
Guerrero Jr. hit his first career grand slam in Detroit in July 2019.
The Blue Jays’ all-star first baseman is slashing .385/.415/.590 in 39 career at-bats at Comerica.
Up Next
After the all-star break, former Blue Jays Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Gabriel Moreno and the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks are at Rogers Centre for three games starting July 14.
— With files from The Associated Press
