Royals at Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays put up a good fight on a six-game road trip but stumble home with a losing record on the excursion after falling to the American League East-leading New York Yankees on Wednesday. The Blue Jays will try to turn things around when they host the Kansas City Royals on Friday in the opener of a four-game series.
Toronto stole two of three at Boston to begin the road trip and pounded out 18 runs in three games at Yankee Stadium but could not come up with a victory at New York, squandering early leads in two of the three setbacks. Wednesday's 8-7 loss was particularly painful after the Blue Jays built a 5-0 lead, fell behind 7-6 and tied it again in the ninth only to fall in the bottom half of the frame to drop their record to 29-52. The Royals (28-53) are one of only three teams in the AL - along with Baltimore and Detroit - to own fewer wins than Toronto and opened the road trip by dropping two of three at Cleveland, with the two setbacks coming by a total of three runs. Kansas City will try to take the first game of the series behind left-hander Danny Duffy while Toronto begins a 10-game homestand heading into the All-Star break with Sean Reid-Foley likely to get the ball.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (3-3, 4.48 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Sean Reid-Foley (0-1, 6.75)
Duffy worked a season-high eight innings against Minnesota on Saturday but did not factor in the decision after yielding three runs - all solo homers - and six hits. The 30-year-old is winless in his last six outings and surrendered at least one home run in five of those six turns. Duffy struck out eight over six scoreless innings at Toronto last season but did not factor in the decision and is 2-3 with a 4.86 ERA in seven career games against the Blue Jays.
Reid-Foley was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday and pitched two scoreless innings in Toronto's 10-8 loss at Yankee Stadium on Monday. The 23-year-old, who was born in Guam, will likely be on a pitch count after throwing 42 on Monday. Reid-Foley, a second-round pick in the 2014 draft, was 3-3 with a 5.87 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) with Buffalo this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Royals designated RHP Brad Boxberger for assignment Wednesday.
2. Toronto UTL Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is 12-for-24 over the last five games and homered twice Wednesday.
3. Kansas City RF Jorge Soler is 1-for-19 with nine strikeouts over his last five games.