The Toronto Blue Jays begin the second half of their season with a three-game weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Rogers Centre.
The series offers a great chance to revisit a big off-season trade that saw the Blue Jays acquire outfielder Daulton Varsho from the Diamondbacks for outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and catching prospect Gabriel Moreno.
Gurriel Jr., arguably considered the third most important player in the trade when it was made, just played in the All-Star Game for the first time on Tuesday in Seattle.
Here’s a look at the Blue Jays-Diamondbacks series.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT: Arizona RHP Ryne Nelson (5-5, 5.19 ERA) vs. TBD
Saturday, 3:07 p.m. ET / 12:07 p.m. PT: Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (11-3, 3.04 ERA) vs. TBD
Sunday, 1:37 p.m. ET / 10:37 a.m. PT: Arizona LHP Tommy Henry (5-1, 3.75 ERA) vs. TBD
All games on Sportsnet or SN NOW.
Latest on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (50-41) are coming off a 5-1 road trip to Chicago (against the White Sox) and Detroit.
While Toronto didn’t play the most consistent baseball, the Blue Jays found a way to win close games — with the exception of a combined no-hitter in a 2-0 loss in Detroit last Saturday.
In the series finale, Danny Jansen tied it at 3-3 with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth before Nathan Lukes drove in the winning run in the 10th.
With the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays struggling, third-place Toronto is now within seven games of top spot.
The Blue Jays are tied for second with the Houston Astros in the wild-card race, one game ahead of the New York Yankees.
There should be an update on Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano before Friday’s game. He left Tuesday’s All-Star Game after just five pitches with lower back tightness.
Latest on the Diamondbacks
After getting swept by the visiting New York Mets in a three-game series, the Diamondbacks (52-39) responded by winning two of three against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Arizona before the all-star break.
But Arizona’s 61-day grip on first place in the NL West ended with Sunday’s 4-2 loss, allowing the Los Angeles Dodgers to pull percentage points ahead.
Alek Thomas has homered in the past two games for the Diamondbacks.
Arizona is second in the wild-card race, 2.5 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants.
Trade Talk
While some of Gurriel’s slashing numbers (.263/.316/.493) are down from last year, his power is up. He already has 15 homers — 10 more than in last year’s injury-shortened year — to go along with 54 RBI.
Gurriel, who just missed a home run against Romaro at the All-Star Game, picked a good time to elevate his game as he is a free agent at season’s end.
Moreno has been OK, but it’s nothing overly special just yet. He’s slashing .267/.312/.343 with just two homers and 26 RBI. He’s walked 15 times and struck out on 50 occasions.
The left-handed Varsho has come as advertised defensively, definitely helping the Blue Jays in that area. At the plate, his numbers are down. He’s slashing .214/.277/.368 with 12 homers and 30 RBI and has struggled against high velocity.
Star Power
Each team had four players go to the All-Star Game.
Arizona’s reps were Gurriel, right-hander Zac Gallen (the NL starter), rookie of the year favourite Corbin Carroll (an outfielder) and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo.
Toronto sent Home Run Derby champ Vladimir Guerrero Jr., shortstop Bo Bichette, second baseman Whit Merrifield, and Romano to Seattle.
Carroll, the Diamondbacks’ first-round pick in 2019, leads the team with 18 home runs and 26 stolen bases.
“He just kind of does everything, from what I can tell,” Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. “So, when you’re that fast, you can play great defence, and when you can hit over the fence, too, it’s a tough combo. So yeah, he’s a good one.”
Familiar Face
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was a first-base coach for the Blue Jays in 2011-12 before following former Toronto manager John Farrell to Boston.
Lovullo also is a member of the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame after playing and managing with the triple-A Bisons before they were a Blue Jays affiliate.
Lovullo guided the Diamondbacks to the playoffs in his first season as manager in 2017, but hasn’t returned to the post-season since. The skipper got a contract extension through 2024 earlier this season.
They Meet Again
The Blue Jays and Diamondbacks haven’t squared off since June 2019 when Arizona swept a three-game series at Rogers Centre.
Up Next
After an off-day Monday, the Blue Jays entertain another NL West team — the underachieving San Diego Padres — in a three-game series.
