The Toronto Blue Jays wrap up a six-game homestand with a four-game series against the Detroit Tigers, starting Thursday.
While the Tigers are heading toward their sixth losing season in a row and preparing to sell assets at the Aug. 2 trade deadline, the Blue Jays are looking to bolster their roster after turning things around the last couple of weeks under interim manager John Schneider.
Both teams are coming off series against teams in National League wild-card spots.
Here’s a look at the Blue Jays-Tigers series.
Probable pitchers
Thursday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT (Sportsnet): Detroit LHP Tyler Alexander (2-3, 4.05 ERA) vs. Toronto LHP Yusei Kikuchi (3-5, 5.12 ERA)
Friday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT (Apple TV): Detroit TBA vs. Toronto RHP Alek Manoah (11-4, 2.24 ERA)
Saturday, 3:07 p.m. ET / 12:07 p.m. PT (Sportsnet): Detroit RHP Drew Hutchison (1-4, 4.84 ERA) vs. Toronto RHP Ross Stripling (5-3, 3.10 ERA)
Sunday, 12:07 p.m. ET / 9:07 a.m. PT (Sportsnet): Detroit RHP Garrett Hill (1-2, 5.57 ERA) vs. Toronto RHP Jose Berrios (7-4, 5.20 ERA)
Latest on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (54-44) lost for just the second time in 10 games under Schneider on Wednesday as they dropped a 6-1 decision to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman didn’t have his best stuff and was pulled in the fifth with his team trailing 3-1. The next batter, Albert Pujols, slammed a homer off Trevor Richards with two men on, breaking the game open and making Gausman’s line look worse.
The loss snapped a seven-game win streak and allowed the Cardinals to split the two-game series.
Now, the Blue Jays have to cross their fingers that Kikuchi has figured something out in his stint on the injured list as he prepares to take the ball for Thursday’s series opener.
The left-hander had little control with his fastball and was generally terrible in a string of starts before going on the IL with a neck strain earlier this month.
Latest on the Tigers
The Tigers (40-59) took two of three from the San Diego Padres this week in Detroit.
Victor Reyes’ two-run double with two out gave the Tigers a 4-3 walk-off win in the series finale on Wednesday.
It marked the second game in a row the Tigers inflicted damage on Padres closer Taylor Rogers, who gave up a run in the ninth on Tuesday but saw his team battle back to win in the 10th.
Impressive young left-hander Tarik Skubal started Wednesday’s game for the Tigers, meaning the Blue Jays will not see him in Toronto.
Tigers open for business
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported this week that the Tigers are open to trading ‘just about everyone’, according to sources.
That includes Skubal, even though the Tigers’ starting rotation has been ravaged by injuries.
Relievers Michael Fulmer, Joe Jimenez and Gregory Soto also are up for grabs.
Fulmer got the win in Wednesday’s game.
Restricted list
For the first time in a while, a visiting team at Rogers Centre won’t be dramatically impacted by COVID-19 vaccine border rules.
Left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin is the only Tiger not making the trip. Multiple reports say right-hander Bryan Garcia will be called up from triple-A Toledo to replace Chafin and is likely to start Friday’s game.
Welcome back
Hutchison, a 2009 Blue Jays draft pick who played for Toronto in 2012 and 2014 to ’16, returns to his old stamping ground to start Saturday’s game.
Hutchison, 31, has signed a minor-league deal with the Tigers for the past two years.
This will be his seventh start with Detroit this season. He has a 4.87 ERA in four starts in July.
Season series
The Blue Jays won two of three in Detroit last month.
Stripling pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing one hit, in a win in the finale, while Berrios gave up one run on five hits in eight innings in the opener — also a victory.
The Tigers won the second game 3-1 with Gausman the loser — giving up one earned run in six innings.
Up next
After an off-day Monday, the Blue Jays are on the road for nine in a row – two at Tampa Bay, four at Minnesota and three at Baltimore.
