Twins at Blue Jays
Marwin Gonzalez wasn't providing much return on the Minnesota Twins' investment in March and April, but the 30-year-old has begun to pay dividends in the first week of May. Gonzalez looks to continue his recent strong play on Monday when the Twins open a three-game series against the host Toronto Blue Jays.
Signed to a two-year, $21 million contract in February, Gonzalez was batting a paltry .159 before going 7-for-16 over his last four games. Gonzalez recorded his 300th career RBI in Sunday's 4-1 rain-shortened setback to the New York Yankees and had four hits -- including a homer - in Minnesota's series with Toronto on April 15-18. The Blue Jays, who won three of those four encounters, are returning home after a dismal six-game road trip in which they surrendered 34 runs en route to losing five of six contests. Eric Sogard belted a solo homer in Sunday's 10-2 loss to Texas, improving to 4-for-10 with two extra-base hits, three RBIs and three runs scored during his three-game hitting streak.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), Sportsnet-1 (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Martin Perez (4-0, 3.41 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (1-4, 2.20)
Perez spun a gem in his last outing, scattering four hits and striking out seven over eight scoreless innings in a 6-2 win over Houston. The 28-year-old Venezuelan is sporting a 3-0 mark with a 2.08 ERA since joining the starting rotation. Perez deserved a better fate in his last encounter with the Blue Jays, permitting one run in six innings of a no-decision on April 15.
While Perez is ascending, Stroman has seen his record plummet after falling to 1-4 in his last six outings following a miserable performance at the Los Angeles Angels. The 28-year-old yielded a season-high five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings in the 6-3 setback. Nelson Cruz is 6-for-11 against Stroman, who owns a 1-2 mark with a 3.71 ERA in four career appearances versus Minnesota.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 5-for-30 with eight strikeouts since being called up from Triple-A Buffalo.
2. Minnesota 2B Jonathan Schoop has 19 hits, nine RBIs and nine runs scored in his last 15 games.
3. Blue Jays SS Freddy Galvis is 3-for-23 with seven strikeouts in the last five games.