Blue Jays at White Sox
The 2019 season was expected to be one of rebuilding for the Toronto Blue Jays, who are counting on getting youngsters such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. prepared to lead a team they hope will contend for the playoffs next year. The offense has taken its lumps as a result, but the Blue Jays put on an impressive display in the series opener that they would like to carry over to Saturday afternoon, when they play the third contest of their four-game set against the host Chicago White Sox.
Toronto entered May with a 14-15 record but went 3-11 over its first 14 contests this month thanks to an offense that scored three runs or fewer 11 times. The Blue Jays pushed across a run in each of the first five innings of Friday's 10-2 romp, however, as the team with the worst batting average in the majors entering the contest pounded out 15 hits - tying season bests with four doubles and three homers - and matched their season high in runs. The loss was a step back for the White Sox, who had won four of five - giving up fewer than three runs in each of the victories. Tim Anderson finished 2-for-4 with a run on Friday and is batting .500 with two homers and four RBIs in five games against the Blue Jays this season.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, Sportsnet One (Toronto), NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Ryan Feierabend (NR) vs. White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (4-1, 3.55 ERA)
Feierabend is expected to be recalled and step foot on a major-league mound for the first time since 2014, when he posted a 6.14 ERA in six relief appearances while with Texas. The 33-year-old knuckleballer owns a 2-11 record and 7.15 ERA in 31 big-league games, recording all of his decisions between 2006-08 while with Seattle. Feierabend, who has gone 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Buffalo this season, surrendered five runs on eight hits - three homers - and three walks over six innings in losing his only career start versus Chicago on Sept. 24, 2006.
Giolito is set to make his second straight start versus the Blue Jays after dominating them in Toronto on Sunday, yielding one run on four hits and a walk while recording out eight strikeouts in seven innings. The 24-year-old has had his way with the opposition in four road outings (4-0, 2.42 ERA), but he is 0-1 with a 6.00 mark in three turns at home and 6-10 with a 6.15 ERA in 23 career starts at Guaranteed Rate Field. Giolito surrendered five runs over 4 1/3 frames in a no-decision at home last season in his only other career outing versus Toronto.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez was forced from Friday's start in the fourth inning because of a blister on his right middle finger.
2. Chicago's 20-23 record this season is a seven-game improvement over its 13-30 mark after 43 games in 2018.
3. Toronto's 10 runs on Friday are more than it scored in any of its previous four three-game series.