Padres at Blue Jays
Hunter Renfroe has provided plenty of offensive production for the San Diego Padres, swatting 26 home runs in each of the previous two seasons, and both he and the team are getting plenty of mileage from the long ball this year. After hitting three homers in the series opener in Toronto, the Padres can match their longest win streak of the season Saturday afternoon versus the host Blue Jays.
Renfroe delivered the big blow with a tiebreaking three-run shot in the eighth inning of Friday's 6-3 win, marking the ninth time he has hit a go-ahead homer this season. Austin Hedges and Greg Garcia each halted lengthy droughts with their first homers of May as San Diego notched its fourth consecutive victory. Toronto made major league history with the sons of two Hall of Famers (Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio) in the lineup together for the first time but tumbled to its third straight defeat to fall to 9-17 at home. Freddy Galvis and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who was called up along with Biggio on Friday, each homered as the Blue Jays mustered three hits in their 17th loss in 23 games.
TV: 3:07 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, Sportsnet One (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Cal Quantrill (0-2, 5.40 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Edwin Jackson (0-1, 6.30)
Quantrill grew up an hour from Toronto and his father, Paul, pitched six seasons for the Blue Jays, but he insists that won't provide any added motivation as he prepares to make his fourth major league start. “It’s the big leagues," said Quantrill, who allowed five runs over five innings in a loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. "I’m so pumped to be here and so excited for every single game. I don’t know there will be more juice because it’s Canada.” Opposing batters are hitting .611 against him in the first inning.
Jackson became the first player in major league history to play for 14 teams in his debut for Toronto on May 15, when he worked five innings and gave up three runs (two earned) and six hits in a no-decision at San Francisco. The 35-year-old had a rocky outing versus Boston on Monday, taking the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits across five innings. Jackson, who made 13 starts for the Padres in 2016, owns a 1-6 record and 6.05 ERA in 16 appearances (11 starts) against San Diego.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres 1B Eric Hosmer hit safely in nine of his last 10 outings and has five RBIs during a three-game hitting streak.
2. Guerrero is hitless in eight at-bats following a five-game hitting streak.
3. Padres DH-OF Josh Naylor, who also grew up an hour outside Toronto, went 0-for-4 in his major league debut Friday.