Blue Jays at Tigers
The Toronto Blue Jays don't appear to have much for which to play the rest of this season, but they have a chance to come away from their first extended road trip of the second half feeling good about themselves. The Blue Jays hope to break even on their 10-game trek Sunday, when they attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the struggling Detroit Tigers.
Toronto showed off its offensive capability with a 12-1 rout in the series opener and displayed its ability to handle some adversity by overcoming a four-run deficit after four innings by scoring six unanswered runs in Saturday's 7-5 victory. After a rough start to the month, rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had his second big day at the plate against the Tigers, following a 3-for-5 effort on Friday by going 2-for-4 with his first career grand slam. Things continue to go from bad to worse for the Tigers, who fell to 7-33 since the start of June despite coming up one run short of matching their offensive output from the previous four games combined. Detroit has won just three of its last 25 contests and is one loss shy of matching its worst run since the club dropped 23 of 26 from July 27-Aug. 23, 2003.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA, OMNI (Toronto), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Jacob Waguespack (1-0, 5.93 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Tyler Alexander (0-0, 3.60)
Waguespack nearly picked up a win in his first career start Tuesday in Boston, but he could not record the final out of the fifth inning as the Red Sox scored three times in that frame and reached him for four runs overall. The 25-year-old made two long relief appearances prior to that outing, yielding three runs in five innings against Boston on July 3 and two earned runs over four frames at Tampa Bay in his major-league debut on May 27. Waguespack is holding left-handed hitters to a .190 batting average so far but allowing right-handers to hit .333.
Alexander is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Toledo and make his second career start after holding his own in his first nearly three weeks ago. The 25-year-old did not factor in the decision on July 3 in his native Chicago despite holding the White Sox to two runs and five hits over five innings. Alexander has gone 4-9 with a 5.72 ERA in 15 starts and two relief appearances with the Mud Hens this season but owns a 2-0 record and 2.38 ERA in two games with them this month.
WALK-OFFS
1. Guerrero's homer was his first since June 29 and only his third since the start of June after belting six in May.
2. The Tigers have lost 27 of their last 30 home games played to completion and been outscored 103-43 while dropping 14 of their last 15 at Comerica Park.
3. Toronto 1B Brandon Drury clubbed a go-ahead two-run homer on Saturday and is batting .368 with six doubles, a triple, three blasts and eight RBIs in 10 career games against Detroit.