Yankees at Blue Jays
Although they came up short in their bid to sweep bitter rival Boston, the New York Yankees have won 20 of 26 games to ascend to the top of the American League East. The Yankees will be looking to avoid consecutive defeats for the first time in more than a month when they open a six-game road trip with the first of three at the reeling Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
Despite an 8-5 loss to the Red Sox on Sunday night, the Yankees posted their ninth consecutive series win to match their longest stretch since July/August 1998. DJ LeMahieu had nine RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak while catcher Gary Sanchez has six homers and 13 RBIs over his last 11 games for New York. The Blue Jays are in a free fall after completing an 0-6 road trip to Tampa Bay and Colorado, marking the first time they were winless on a trek of six or more games since 2009. Toronto has dropped 10 of 11 games overall to fall a season-worst 17 games below .500 entering its first matchup of the year versus the Yankees.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sportsnet, SportsnetOne, TVAS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (3-4, 3.20 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Clayton Richard (0-1, 3.38)
Tanaka is coming off his worst outing in more than a month, allowing five runs on nine hits over six innings against the San Diego Padres to halt a four-start unbeaten streak. He had permitted only four runs and 18 hits in 25 1/3 innings in his previous four turns, although he had just one victory to show for it. Tanaka has yet to face the Blue Jays this season, but he owns an 11-4 record and 2.69 ERA in 17 starts against Toronto and has frustrated Justin Smoak, holding him to 2-for-21 with eight strikeouts.
Richard will be making his third start after missing nearly two months with a stress reaction in his knee and will hope to give Toronto a longer outing after going just four innings in each of his first two turns. The 36-year-old gave up two runs and three hits in a loss at Tampa Bay last week after limiting Boston to one run on two hits in his season debut. Richard has not face the Yankees since late in the 2008 season but he has had trouble solving LeMahieu, who is 7-for-20 with three RBIs against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was the AL Reliever of the Month in May after notching 11 saves and an 0.79 ERA.
2. Smoak has four homers and 10 RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.
3. Yankees 1B Luke Voit is 8-for-20 over the past five games.