Yankees at Blue Jays
It took more than half the season but the New York Yankees are finally seeing the top-of-the-rotation starter they envisioned when they acquired James Paxton from Seattle last November. Paxton will look to win his ninth consecutive start and move the Yankees closer to a division title in the second of a three-game series at the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon.
On a rare night when its failed to add to its major league-leading total of 280 home runs, New York dropped a 6-5 decision in 12 innings to fall to 38-53 at Rogers Centre since 2010 - its worst win percentage at any American League venue in that span. DJ LeMahieu collected two more hits and is batting .393 (24-for-61) in 14 games against the Blue Jays this season while Austin Romine, subbing for an injured Gary Sanchez, also had two hits and an RBI single. Bo Bichette victimized the Yankees with a homer in the bottom of the 12th to become the youngest player in franchise history with a walk-off blast and the third Toronto rookie with a game-ending home run this season. It was the 28th extra-base hit for Bichette, third behind only Joe DiMaggio (30) and Ryan Braun in the first 41 games.
TV: 3:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH James Paxton (13-6, 3.96 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Jacob Waguespack (4-4, 4.55)
Paxton has been spectacular since he was shelled in losing his last two starts in July, improving to 8-0 with a 2.57 ERA after blanking the Boston Red Sox on four hits over 6 2/3 innings on Monday. The 30-year-old Canadian allowed just one hit in each of his previous two turns, including a dominant effort versus Texas on Sept. 3 in which he struck out 12 over seven scoreless frames. Cavan Biggio is 3-for-3 versus Paxton, who has struggled in two no-decisions against Toronto this year, giving up 10 runs over nine innings.
Just as Waguespack was making an impact on the rotation, he went into a tailspin, dropping his third straight start by allowing six runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings at Tampa Bay on Sunday. The 25-year-old rookie has not made it through five innings during the three-game slide and has been reached for 15 runs over 11 1/3 innings while surrendering a home run in each. Waguespack faced the Yankees in relief on Aug. 10 and gave up three runs across 3 2/3 innings, including homers to Sanchez and Gio Urshela.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he was optimistic that Sanchez (groin) and DH Edwin Encarnacion (oblique) will return before the end of the regular season.
2. Blue Jays LHP Tim Mayza exited Friday's contest with what appeared to be a severe elbow injury.
3. Yankees RHP Luis Severino, a 19-game winner in 2018, is expected to make his season debut Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels.