Yankees at Blue Jays
The New York Yankees have responded to criticism for electing against adding reinforcements at the trade deadline by slugging their way to victory in each game thus far in August. The homer-happy Yankees bid to extend their winning streak to a season-high nine contests on Thursday when they play the opener of a four-game series against the host Toronto Blue Jays.
Kyle Higashioka and Gio Urshela each posted their first career multi-homer performance in Wednesday's 14-2 romp over Baltimore as New York joined the 1977 Boston Red Sox as the lone clubs to go deep at least five times in three straight games. Urshela is riding the majors' longest active hitting streak (12 games) for the Yankees, who have won six of nine encounters with Toronto this season. Blue Jays rookie Bo Bichette set a team record with a double in eight straight games during Wednesday's 4-3 win over Tampa Bay, eclipsing the mark of seven set by Carlos Delgado in 2000. "Let him keep breaking records. That's pretty cool," Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said of the 21-year-old Bichette, who carries a career-opening hitting streak of 10 games into a confrontation with Thursday starter Domingo German.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Domingo German (14-2, 3.98 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Thomas Pannone (2-4, 5.98)
German improved to 5-0 in his last six starts on Saturday after allowing a pair of runs on five hits in seven innings of a 9-2 victory over Boston. The two runs allowed by the 27-year-old Dominican came via a pair of solo shots, raising his home run total to eight in his last four outings and 21 on the season (19 appearances). German improved to 1-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in four career appearances (two starts) versus Toronto on July 12 after scattering three hits while striking out seven in six innings of a 4-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
Pannone received his second straight no-decision on Friday after permitting four runs for the third time in four outings in a rough encounter against Baltimore. The 25-year-old has faced the Yankees in a pair of relief appearances, recording the win despite walking two batters in one-third of an inning on June 4 before yielding just one hit over 3 2/3 scoreless frames two nights later. Pannone will be making his first start this season in Toronto, where he owns a 2-1 mark with a 4.50 ERA as opposed to an 0-3 record and gaudy 7.48 ERA on the road.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto LF Teoscar Hernandez is 2-for-22 with 12 strikeouts versus New York this season.
2. Yankees LF Cameron Maybin, who went deep to highlight his four-hit performance on Wednesday, is 4-for-10 versus the Blue Jays in 2019.
3. Toronto 1B Justin Smoak is batting just .195 at home this season.