The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t taken the easy route to the top spot in the major leagues.
Instead, since the all-star break, they’ve won series over playoff contenders in the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants.
Now, they’ll look to sweep the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers.
You can catch the action on Sportsnet on Sunday with Blue Jays Central coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.
Toronto will send Max Scherzer, who won an American League Cy Young award reached the World Series during his five seasons in Detroit between 2010 and 2014, to the mound. It is also Scherzer’s 41st birthday Sunday.
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Watch Blue Jays vs. Tigers on Sportsnet
The Toronto Blue Jays are looking to sweep the Detroit Tigers in the finale of a four-game series on Sunday. Live coverage begins Sunday at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
The potential future Hall of Famer has pitched to a 5.14 ERA over 28 innings with the Blue Jays this season, walking eight and striking out 28.
Toronto has pulled off wins against a formidable list of aces throughout its 19-4 run over the last month, including Carlos Rodón, Max Fried, Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and most recently Tarik Skubal on Saturday.
On Sunday the Blue Jays will face Jack Flaherty, a former Cy Young contender who is in the midst of a down season. Over 103.2 innings, the right-hander holds a 4.77 ERA — the highest of his career not including the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Flaherty, 29, is currently sixth in the AL with 130 strikeouts. However, he also issues walks at a high clip and is prone to hard contact.
The Blue Jays’ latest win — against all-star starter and reigning AL Cy Young winner Skubal — was their toughest test yet. And while they failed to get to the usually efficient lefty, the Jays managed to run up his pitch count and chase him after six innings, paving the way for a 6-1 win.
Kevin Gausman held up his end of the bargain in what started as a pitchers’ duel, striking out 10 while allowing one hit over six shutout innings.
Bo Bichette opened the scoring with a two-run single in the top of the eighth and the Blue Jays made it a laugher with three home runs in the ninth courtesy of Nathan Lukes, George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Alejandro Kirk was removed from the game after taking a hard foul tip off his mask in the bottom of the third inning. He will remain out of the starting lineup Sunday with Tyler Heineman taking up catching duties.
The Blue Jays have won four straight, propelling themselves to a major-league best 63-42 record. They are also three games up on the Houston Astros and three-and-a-half games up on the Tigers atop the AL. After once leading the junior circuit, Detroit has fallen precipitously, losing 12 of its last 13 games.
The top two teams in the AL get a bye to the ALDS.
