Over their past 10 games, the Toronto Blue Jays‘ winning formula has been simple.
When they’ve scored at least five runs, they’re 6-0. On the flip side, when they’ve scratched across fewer than five runs, they’re 0-4.
For the season, the Blue Jays’ 57-3 record when scoring five-plus leads MLB.
And, so, coming off a 10-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday, the Blue Jays will look to keep their bats hot in Tuesday’s potential series clincher against the AL Central squad.
Live coverage on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ begins at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT, with first pitch scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT.
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Watch Blue Jays vs. Twins on Sportsnet
The Toronto Blue Jays continue a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Catch the action on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+ starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Chris Bassitt (11-7, 4.18 ERA) will get the start for the Blue Jays, who can earn their second straight series win with a victory. Bassitt is coming off a 10-strikeout outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates in which he took the loss despite allowing just two runs over 5.2 innings.
The veteran righty has struggled with command this month, walking at least two batters in each of his four August starts and pitching six innings just once.
But after a relatively breezy Monday win in which Max Scherzer went six innings and key relievers were not called upon, the Toronto bullpen should be relatively well-rested if needed.
Opposing Bassitt on the mound will be Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (4-7, 5.05 ERA), who last pitched Wednesday when he, like Bassitt, allowed two runs over 5.2 innings, in a loss to the Athletics.
Now, he’ll face a tough Blue Jays lineup that’s fifth overall in runs scored, first in batting average (.267) and recently welcomed slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. back to the starting lineup.
After missing time with a hamstring injury, Guerrero Jr. returned as DH on Monday and went 1-for-4, including a clutch two-RBI single in the sixth inning.
Meanwhile, Andres Gimenez and Alejandro Kirk each homered off Twins ace Joe Ryan.
Toronto (77-55) continues to hold a five-game lead in the AL East over the second-place Boston Red Sox (72-60), while the third-place New York Yankees (71-60) are 5.5 games behind.
The Twins sit fourth in the AL Central at 59-72 after a massive sell-off at the trade deadline, including the deal that sent reliever Louis Varland and first baseman Ty France to the Blue Jays.
Toronto, which sits 43-21 at home, wraps the three-game set against the Twins on Wednesday (Sportsnet, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT) before welcoming the MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers to Rogers Centre for a three-game series beginning Friday.
