The struggling Toronto Blue Jays conclude a road trip that has not gone well with three games against the Miami Marlins.
The Blue Jays are 2-4 on the trip after series losses to the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers.
The Marlins, just like Toronto’s previous two opponents on the trip, are currently in a playoff spot.
Overall, Toronto has lost three series in a row.
Here’s a look at the series.
Monday, 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT: Toronto RHP José Berríos (7-4, 3.28 ERA) vs. Miami RHP Bryan Hoeing (1-1, 3.12 ERA)
Tuesday, 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT: Toronto LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-2, 3.41 ERA) vs. Miami RHP Eury Perez (4-1, 1.80 ERA)
Wednesday, 12:10 p.m. ET / 9:10 a.m. PT: Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman vs. Miami RHP Sandy Alcántara (2-5, 4.97 ERA)
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Latest on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (39-34) just can’t seem to put all the phases of their game together.
Case in point was Sunday when Toronto finally broke out of its offensive slump to take an early 6-0 lead on the Rangers before starter Chris Bassitt and the bullpen fell apart in an 11-7 loss to the best offensive team in baseball.
The pitching wasn’t the only problem — defence and baserunning blunders, old bugaboos, also loomed large.
The seven runs almost matched Toronto’s total of nine from the previous four games.
The Blue Jays are fourth in the AL East, 11 games back of the division- and MLB-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
Toronto is a half game back of the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels for the final wild-card spot in the AL.
Latest on the Marlins
The Marlins (41-31) extended their win streak to four games with a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals in the U.S. capital this weekend.
Miami is now 10 games over .500 for the first time since 2011.
Apart from an appearance in the expanded post-season in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, the Marlins haven’t made the playoffs since 2003.
Well, a 20-year drought just might end this year as the Marlins lead the National League wild-card race.
The Marlins, who have won 16 of their past 21, are five games behind the Atlanta Braves for top spot in the NL East.
.400 Watch
Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez leads the majors with a .388 average.
Arraez was out of the lineup on Sunday for the first time since May 25. He went 5-for-5 on Friday and is now batting .410 in June.
The Marlins acquired Arraez, 26, in an off-season deal with the Minnesota Twins, where he was an all-star for the first time last season.
Rookie Sensation
Perez, Tuesday’s starter for the Marlins, is MLB Pipeline’s top pitching prospect — and he’s showing fans why.
The six-foot-eight, 20-year-old Perez continued his impressive season with six scoreless innings in a win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
The Dominican has the lowest ERA in team history through seven starts.
Mattingly Returns
Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly returns to Miami for the first time since he announced at the end of last season that he and the team had mutually decided he would not be back as manager.
Mattingly managed the Marlins from 2016-22.
Rookie manager Skip Schumaker replaced Mattingly in the off-season. The 43-year-old previously was bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Dandy Debuts
Both the Blue Jays and Marlins had players impress in their first game in the big leagues on Sunday.
Marlins shortstop Jacob Amaya, replacing the injured Juan Segura, had a hit, run, RBI and stolen base in a 4-2 win.
Meanwhile, Blue Jays designated hitter Spencer Horwitz, filling in for the injured Brandon Belt, had a hit, RBI and two walks on Sunday in Texas.
Injury Report
Hoeing, who has pitched out of the bullpen for Miami after two shaky starts to open the season, gets the start in the series opener with Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement) on the 15-day IL.
Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk suffered a left hand laceration and contusion when he was hit by a pitch Sunday. Initial X-rays came back negative and there should be a further update before Monday’s game.
The Blue Jays are hoping Belt (left hamstring inflammation) can return this week.
Head to Head
The Blue Jays and Marlins square off for the first time since Toronto won all four games against Miami in home and road mini-series in June 2021.
Interleague Play
The Blue Jays are 12-5 against the NL this year, while the Marlins are 16-5 versus the AL.
It’s worth noting the Marlins have yet to play any teams in the powerful AL East.
Up Next
After an off-day Thursday, the schedule gets softer for the Blue Jays.
Toronto opens a nine-game homestand with a three-game series against the MLB-worst Oakland A’s this weekend at Rogers Centre.
