The surging Toronto Blue Jays look for their fourth series win in a row when they battle the underachieving San Diego Padres in a three-game set this week at Rogers Centre.
The Blue Jays have won eight of their last nine games, while the Padres are coming off three consecutive losses against the Philadelphia Phillies after winning the opener of that four-game series.
Here’s a look at the Blue Jays-Padres series.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT: Toronto RHP Alek Manoah (2-7, 5.91 ERA) vs. San Diego RHP Joe Musgrove (8-2, 3.29 ERA)
Wednesday, 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT: Toronto RHP Jose Berrios (8-6, 3.41 ERA) vs. San Diego RHP Yu Darvish (6-6, 4.65 ERA)
Thursday, 1:07 p.m. ET / 10:07 a.m. PT: Toronto RHP Chris Bassitt (9-5, 4.12 ERA) vs. San Diego LHP Blake Snell (6-7, 2.71 ERA)
All games on Sportsnet and SN NOW.
Latest on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (53-41) returned from the all-star break with a three-game sweep against the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend at Rogers Centre.
Despite making top starter Kevin Gausman (left side discomfort) a late scratch on Saturday, Toronto didn’t miss a beat.
Berrios and Bassitt, Gausman’s fill-in, provided strong starts in the first two games before the bullpen backed up Yusei Kikuchi for a 7-5 win in a tight series finale.
Danny Jansen delivered a bases-clearing double in the eighth to break open what was a one-run game before the Diamondbacks made things interesting against Mitch White in the bottom of the ninth. Erik Swanson came on to get the final out.
The Blue Jays are third in the AL East, now just 5.5 games back of the slumping Tampa Bay Rays. Toronto also is second in the wild-card race, a game up on the Houston Astros.
Latest on the Padres
The Padres (44-50) are going to have to go on quite a run to return to the playoffs.
In a rematch of last year’s NLCS, the Padres did not play well against the reigning champion Phillies this past weekend in Philly.
The Phillies scored a combined 22 runs in the final three games.
The series finale was a 7-6 loss in 12 innings in which San Diego couldn’t hold a 3-0 lead.
The Padres, fourth in their division, are 10.5 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and eight games out of a wild-card spot.
Derby Champs
The series features the past two Home Run Derby champs — 2023 winner Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays and 2022 victor Juan Soto, who was traded to the Padres by the Washington Nationals less than a month after taking that title.
Soto has 16 homers this year, Guerrero has 14.
Money Doesn’t Always Buy Wins
The Padres have the third-highest payroll in the majors this season behind the New York Mets and Yankees.
But a roster with big-ticket players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Soto and Xander Bogaerts hasn’t lived up to expectations.
The Padres are 23rd in batting average and 14th in OPS.
Bullpen Discrepancy
The Padres have a team ERA of 5.69 from their bullpen over the past 30 days, ranking 25th in the majors.
Toronto is fifth, at 3.04.
San Diego’s late-game woes also are spotlighted in its extra-innings record of 0-9.
Injury Report
The Blue Jays will be hoping Gausman can return to the rotation over the weekend in Seattle.
Also worth watching is the status of closer Jordan Romano, who hasn’t pitched since exiting Tuesday’s All-Star Game with back tightness.
For the Padres, Tatis sat out Sunday with a right ankle injury after exiting Saturday’s second game of a doubleheader in the sixth. The team hopes he can return Tuesday.
Strong Padres starter Michael Wacha (right shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 15-day IL before the all-star break. Like Gausman, he could return next series.
Head to Head
The teams last played in 2019 when the Padres won two of three at Rogers Centre, including a 19-4 laugher in which San Diego connected for seven homers.
Toronto’s starter that day was the well-travelled Edwin Jackson.
Familiar Face
Rougned Odor, a player Blue Jays fans love to hate, is now a depth infielder on the Padres.
Jose Bautista’s old enemy had just 16 at-bats in July and is batting .188 for the month.
Odor signed a minor-league contract with the Padres before the season and made the team.
Up Next
Thousands of Western Canadian fans will make Seattle feel like a home away from home for the Blue Jays this weekend during a three-game series against the Mariners.
